Navy News Week 50-5

NAVY NEWS WEEK 50-5

13 December 2018

Japan to expand Djibouti base despite decline in piracy In 2009, Japan set up a military facility in Djibouti to combat rising incidents of piracy off Northeast Africa. A decade later, the pirates have been largely defeated, but Tokyo intends to expand its Djibouti base. When Japan set up a facility in Djibouti in 2009 with docks for warships, an airfield and the other infrastructure that an overseas military base requires to support troops on the ground, it had the very clearly defined task of supporting the international campaign against pirates operating out of Somalia. In 2011, there were no fewer than 237 incidents involving suspected pirates. Thanks in large part to the international response, that figure fell to zero incidents in 2015 and a mere nine cases were reported in the whole of 2017. Yet instead of declaring the Self-Defense Forces' (SDF) mission accomplished, closing the Djibouti base and bringing the two Kawasaki P-1 patrol aircraft, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer and at least 180 ground troops back to Japan, Tokyo is expected to include in its new National Defense Program Guidelines plans to upgrade the facility. The details of the enhanced base have yet to be released, the Asahi newspaper reported, but the original 12-hectare plot alongside the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport was last year expanded to 15 hectares. The aim, analysts suggest, is to give Japan more of a say in international security and peacekeeping operations, but also, acting in concert with like-minded nations, serve as a check on China's increasingly expansionist agenda. Beijing opened its own military base in Djibouti in 2017 and is pushing its One Belt One Road economic initiative for Asia, the Middle East and into the emerging markets of Africa. "I see these efforts as not just a question of expanding Japan's presence, but also an attempt to build on the broader, more multilateral quasi-alliances involving the US and Australia, as well as countries such as India that will be acting in their own national interests when it comes to China," said Jun Okumura, a political analyst at the Meiji Institute for Global Affairs. "This is part of a broader effort among the international community to maintain the balance at a time when there are concerns over changes in the existing security balance in the Asia-Pacific region and now beyond, into the Indian Ocean," he told DW. The Japanese government has studied how other nations with a more global security presence – notably the US, France and the UK – operate military bases in other parts of the world. Britain, for example, took advantage of the location of its facility in Oman to expand emergency and humanitarian assistance to the people of the Philippines when Typhoon Haiyan struck in November 2013. "No, Japan does not need a facility in Djibouti, but there are a number of advantages if they do remain there," said Garren Mulloy, an associate professor of international relations at Daito Bunkyo University and an expert on security issues. "Firstly, if the international force deployed to put a stop to the piracy all left then the problem could very quickly come back again, so there is a need to maintain that deterrent," he told DW. "But also, Japan's SDF has such a low profile internationally that the only place it is presently operationally engaged abroad is Djibouti and it wants to be seen to be engaged in international operations, which it has been with the anti-piracy campaign," he said. "And the military and politicians will argue that it is always better to have a base like this and not to have to set one up – at a high cost in terms of price and political capital – when one is needed," he added. "So when any military has a base such as Djibouti, they will try to keep it to serve as a facility for future operations." The base has proved important in the past, serving as a hub for transportation, logistical supply and medical aid in a time of crisis, such as when terrorists attacked a natural gas plant in Algeria in 2013, killing 10 Japanese nationals. It was also utilized when the SDF had ground forces in South Sudan as a peacekeeping force between 2012 and 2017.And while the Japanese government has stated that it intends to have one member of the SDF in Djibouti for every 10 Chinese military personnel, Mulloy does not believe that Tokyo's decision to retain a force in the region is the start of a modern-day "Great Game" as the two countries jostle for influence – through fair means or foul – across Africa."African nations will be happy at international investment, whether that comes through China's One Belt One Road or Japanese trade missions and government programs. So it will be a civilian competition rather than a military one," he said. Source: Deutsche Welle Navy arrests 52 vessels, 40 persons for alleged piracy The Nigerian Navy on Monday said it had 52 vessels and no fewer than 40 persons currently in its custody, for various alleged piracy related offences. The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Habila Ngalabak, a rear admiral, disclosed this while speaking with journalists during a one-day seminar for its officers at the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Quorra, in Apapa, Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the seminar is “Maritime Offences and Procedures for Arrest and Detention of Ships in the Nigerian Maritime Environment.” According to the FOC, the seminar is to educate the officers to have a better understanding on procedures of arresting, detaining and prosecution of vessels. “The seminar is to refresh our minds on the issues of arrest, detention and prosecution of vessels at sea. “The seminar could not have come at a better time than this because we are approaching December, so we have to get ourselves alert on our duties. “We have 52 vessels of different classes and types presently in our custody for different offences and quite a lot of them are under litigation and investigation. “Some are being investigated for us to know the type of offences and also the agency that they would be sent to for prosecution,’’ he said. On the exact time of the arrest of the suspects, the FOC said he could not categorically give specifics because over the years, “the number of arrests keep rising. “It’s a situation that keeps changing. There are some that have been arrested and their cases have been disposed of from the list and others are still joining. “It takes time for the prosecution to be concluded so some of them have been there for three to four years. “In the last two to three months, we have really had a major arrest of maritime offenders which are piracy related offences and within this period, we have arrested no fewer than 40 persons for one offence or the other,’’ he said.Present at the seminar was the Commander, NNS Beecroft, Okon Eyo, a commodore, and other commanding officers of various naval ships. The Nigerian Navy is in charge of policing the nation’s territorial waters. Source: Premium Times The article does not deifferentiate between piracy and robbery.

CTF151 begins counter-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden Written by defenceWeb, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Counter Piracy Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 is conducting Operation HAKA, a Counter Piracy Operation in the Gulf of Aden/Socotra Gap over the period 16-23 November. This is being conducted as part of the Kuwait-led CTF 151’s enduring mission to counter piracy, and contribute to wider maritime security in the region, Combined Maritime Forces said. During Operation HAKA, there will be an increased Naval presence, with a corresponding increase in counter piracy activities. The aims of HAKA are to deter and disrupt piracy, enhance information exchange between counter piracy stakeholders, and engage with regional partners and local mariners. The continued successful suppression of piracy depends on a number of stakeholders, including the merchant shipping community itself, being able to work together as part of the overall counter piracy system. Some of the activities that will occur during HAKA include; counter piracy patrols, Maritime Awareness Calls (MAC), exercising of response options, engagement with local mariners and collection of Pattern of Life (POL) information. Captain Richard Walker of the Royal New Zealand Navy is the Deputy Commander of CTF151. He said: “Operation HAKA seeks to strengthen interoperability among counter-piracy stakeholders and further promote maritime security in the region. It’s all about building partnerships and working together to increase maritime security and suppress piracy.” Source: http://www.defenceweb.co.za

BAE Systems, Babcock on shortlist to build Type 31e warship BAE Systems, Babcock and Atlas Elektronik UK will compete to design and manufacture five Type 31e frigates 10 December 2018

Image copyright Polaris Media Image caption

Three shipbuilding firms have been shortlisted to build the newest Royal Navy warships, Defence Minister Stuart Andrew has announced. BAE Systems, Babcock and Atlas Elektronik UK will compete to design and manufacture five Type 31e frigates for £1.25bn. Each group will be awarded £5m to further develop their designs. The preferred bidder is due to be announced by the end of next year. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) wants the first ship to be delivered in 2023. Mr Andrew, who was onboard HMS Diamond at Portsmouth naval base for the announcement, said it was the first frigate competition the UK had run "in a generation". "One of these designs will go on to bolster our future fleet with five new ships, creating UK jobs and ensuring our Royal Navy maintains a truly global presence in an increasingly uncertain world," he said. The awarding of the contracts is a key milestone in the government's national shipbuilding strategy, which was launched in September 2017. The MoD said the Type 31e programme "will move through procurement at an unprecedented pace" and start production within three years of the launch, which it added was "far quicker than similar programmes of this type". The ships will make up the next generation of the Royal Navy fleet, along with eight Type 26 warships which will start being delivered from the mid-2020s. The Type 26 frigates will be based in Devonport. The decision on where the Type 31e frigates will be located is yet to be made. Meanwhile, the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, based in Portsmouth, has returned from four months of sea trials. This has included test flights with the F35 fighters that will be housed onboard when it goes into service. The Royal Navy's £3.1bn future flagship is expected to embark on its first operational deployment in 2021. Source: https://www.bbc.com

Russia Military Planes Arrive in Venezuela, Iran's Warships May Follow to Support U.S. Foe By Tom O'Connor On 12/10/18 at 6:34 PM Russia and Iran were both set to send military forces to Venezuela in a show of support to the socialist Latin American nation, whose embattled economy has been further damaged by U.S. sanctions. The Russian Defense Ministry announced Monday that two Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers, an Antonov An-124 heavily military transport aircraft and an Ilyushin Il-62 long-haul plane arrived at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said that up to 100 Russian personnel would arrive as part of a joint air exercise, according to his ministry. Padrino said "that nobody in the world should fear" the presence of the Tu-160s and other Russian aircraft because "we are builders of peace and not war," touting the country's bilateral ties. "The aircrew of the Russian Federation are welcome to this heroic land," Padrino tweeted alongside images of the Russian military delegation's arrival. "It is a new opportunity to strengthen our relations in the military field and continue walking a path of cooperation and sincere friendship. Peace is our objective." Despite this message, the Russian Defense Ministry noted that, "at certain stages of the flight, the Tu-160 bombers were followed by F-16 fighter aircraft of the Norwegian Air Force while the flight was carried out in strict accordance with the international rules on the use of airspace," as cited by Russia's state-run Sputnik News. Moscow's embassy in Washington also affirmed that the 6,200-mile journey was undertaken in compliance with international aviation law. Norway, which neighbors Russia, is a founding member of the U.S.-led NATO Western military alliance. Like a number of countries in the region, Oslo has expressed concern over what it viewed to be increasingly aggressive behavior from Moscow. The U.S. and Russia have accused one another of pursuing destabilizing foreign policies and, while Washington hardens its stance toward Moscow through sanctions, the Kremlin has sought to develop new ties with fellow critics of the U.S. in South America. Following Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel's visit to Moscow last month—a trip that inspired comparisons to the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis amid U.S. threats to scrap a nuclear missiles deal—Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro traveled to the Russian capital last week to boost ties. Russian President Vladimir Putin was said to have promised both countries lucrative deals, with Maduro's claiming to walk away with up to $6 billion worth of investment. The money was direly needed as Venezuela's economy has continued to spiral downward, with hyperinflation causing consumer prices to skyrocket some 833,997 percent in the past year. Maduro attempted to introduce a new currency in August, but the government's attempts have so far done little to ease a crisis that has led to massive shortages in essential goods as well as an exodus of millions. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has doubled down on efforts to undermine the Venezuelan government, reportedly mulling adding it to the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Maduro has long accused the U.S. of preparing a coup against him, especially after he was apparently targeted in an assassination attempt using explosive-laden drones in August. Trump would later mock the incident. Last week, Defense Secretary James Mattis said that the Venezuelan strongman must let go of power, but "it’s up to the Venezuelan people" and "regional states" to oust Maduro. His predecessor, Hugo Chavez, faced a 2002 coup that, to some degree, was tied to the U.S., though it has denied any direct involvement in the face of repeated Venezuelan accusations. Russia is not the only country backing Venezuela. Iran, another nation whose soured ties with the U.S. stemmed from regime change, is also offering some support. Like Russia and Venezuela, Tehran has been the target of U.S. sanctions. The two countries have been at odds since a 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted a pro-West monarchy reinstalled by a CIA-backed coup in 1953. Though relations briefly improved as they came together to sign a 2015 nuclear deal together, Trump's decision to abandon this deal over accusations that the Islamic Republic sponsored terrorism and its development of ballistic missiles has brought another fallout, as well as costly sanctions for the revolutionary Shiite Muslim power. Iran was also in need of international allies, but it was the U.S. that was widely condemned for its unilateral withdrawal of the nuclear accord in May. Fellow signatories China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom have set out to establish a system to continuing dealing with Iran and bypass U.S. sanctions. Seeing an opportunity to flaunt recent military advances in the Western hemisphere, Iranian naval deputy commander Rear-Admiral Touraj Hassani Moqaddam said earlier this month that Iran's new Sahand destroyer may soon be coming to Venezuela. "Among our plans in the near future is to send two or three vessels with special helicopters to Venezuela in South America on a mission that could last five months," Moqaddam told the semi-official Mehr News Agency, as cited by Reuters. Source: https://www.newsweek.com

Russia’s Navy to get new blue-water warships in next 5 years December 10, 18:06 UTC+3 The Russian Navy has launched its rearmament with warships designated for their operation in long-distance maritime and oceanic zones

SEVASTOPOL, December 10. /TASS/. The Russian Navy has launched its rearmament with warships designated for their operation in long-distance maritime and oceanic zones and is set to get such large displacement vessels in the next five years, Navy Shipbuilding Chief Rear Admiral Vladimir Tryapichnikov said on Monday. "It [the naval shipbuilding program] is being implemented stage by stage. Currently, the serial construction of new-generation green-water warships has been launched and simultaneously blue-water warships are being designed. In the immediate future, the serial construction of blue-water large-displacement surface combatants will be launched," the Navy shipbuilding chief said at the ceremony of accepting the missile corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo for service in the Russian Black Sea Fleet. In the next five years, the Russian Navy will be accepting frigates of the Admiral Gorshkov class and also large amphibious assault ships similar to the Ivan Gren type (Project 11711), he said, without specifying the timeframe for other categories of warships. Green-water warships are precision weapon carriers, Tryapichnikov said. "Today we can state that we outperform foreign-built ships by some parameters, including by their weapon systems. The small missile ships that are under construction for the Russian Navy have already proven their worth by their operation in the Mediterranean Sea at a considerable distance from their permanent bases," the rear admiral stressed. Next-generation multi-purpose warships featuring increased combat capabilities by their strike and defense potential are expected to become the mainstay of naval groupings in the oceanic zone. Frigates will make the basis of Russian naval ships in the long-distance maritime zone: their capabilities will help address a wide range of tasks and reinforce the fleet’s component that will be accomplishing missions in the oceanic zone. Source: http://tass.com

Senior Chinese Military Officer Calls For Attacks On US Ships In The South China Sea By Ryan Pickrell, Business Insider on December 10, 2018 The South China Sea is a powder keg, and one senior Chinese military officer seems interested in lighting the fuse even further. Dai Xu, a People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) senior colonel and president of the Institute of Marine Safety and Cooperation, suggested last weekend that the Chinese navy use force to counter US freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea, Taiwan News reported Sunday. He spoke at a conference hosted by the nationalist, state-backed Chinese tabloid Global Times. “If the U.S. warships break into Chinese waters again, I suggest that two warships should be sent: one to stop it, and another one to ram it,” he said. “In our territorial waters, we won’t allow U.S. warships to create [a] disturbance.” Dai, famous for his hawkish rhetoric, argued that U.S. Navy freedom-of-navigation operations, or FONOPS, are provocations aimed at undermining China’s sovereignty rather than an actual attempt to ensure freedom of navigation in international waters. The U.S. Navy regularly sails destroyers and cruisers past Chinese-occupied territories in the South China Sea, while U.S. Air Force bombers tear past on routine overflights that often ruffle Beijing’s feathers. The most recent FONOP occurred in late November when the U.S. Navy sent the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville to challenge Chinese claims near the Paracel Islands. The Global Times is known for its often provocative articles, intentionally designed to appeal to an alternative audience and differ from the more rigid state media outlets like Xinhua. Dai’s rhetoric at the conference is consistent with that trend, as he seemed to welcome an increase in tension, suggesting that confrontation in the South China Sea could create an opportunity for mainland China to retake Taiwan. “It would boost the speed of our unification of Taiwan,” he told the conference. “Let’s just be prepared and wait. Once a strategic opportunity emerges, we should be ready to take over Taiwan.” Dai’s comments about the use of force in the South China Sea comes on the heels of a near-miss incident that occurred in September when a Chinese Luyang-class destroyer confronted the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur during a FONOP in the Spratly Islands. During the “unsafe” incident, the Chinese vessel reportedly made preparations to ram the American warship, forcing it off course. The showdown was characterized by one foreign policy expert as “the PLAN’s most direct and dangerous attempt to interfere with lawful US Navy navigation in the South China Sea to date.” Source: https://taskandpurpose.com

F-35 jets leave HMS Queen Elizabeth after ‘eclipsing aspirations’ 22/11/2018

Test aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth

Britain’s new aircraft carrier has ‘eclipsed aspirations’, successfully completing two months of intensive fast jet trials in the USA. F-35 Lightning stealth fighters have left HMS Queen Elizabeth after eight weeks flying on and off the 65,000-tonne warship, helping to write the ‘operator’s manual’ so the jets can fly from her deck on front-line operations. The success of the Westlant 18 deployment – which has also included a very high-profile visit to New York – allows the Portsmouth-based ship to move on to operational trials next year with British-owned F-35s flown by Naval and Air Force aviators based at RAF Marham. Two jets and four test pilots, based at the Integrated Test Force (ITF) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, joined the carrier in late September. Since then they have performed 200 short take-offs, 187 vertical landings, and 15 ‘rolling’ landings – a technique unique to the UK which allows a Lightning to return to the carrier with a heavier payload – and dropped 54 dummy bombs into the Atlantic. “This has been one of the most comprehensive flight trials at sea ever conducted,” said RAF Squadron Leader Andy Edgell, ITF chief test pilot. “I am very proud to have professionally executed every aspect of this trial and deliver for the UK a capability that can be exploited for years to come.” Naval aviator Commander Nathan Gray – the first person to land a jet on HMS Queen Elizabeth – added: “It has been phenomenal to get through a high profile with such success. This is due to the skills of the designers of both the F-35 and the ship herself. “It is beyond question that without the vision of the Royal Navy and the unfailing support of the ship’s company we would not have achieved what we have done today. “I am proud to have delivered this future and enduring operational capability.” Weapons experts loaded various configurations of bombs and missiles on to the Lightnings, making use of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s unique automated munitions magazine. ITF scientists recorded masses of data from the ship and the jets; that data will determine the limits (weather, humidity, pitch and roll of the ship, aircraft weight) at which the Lightnings can safely launch from and land back on HMS Queen Elizabeth and her sister Prince of Wales. “It goes without saying that this was a phenomenally successful shipboard detachment,” said Andrew Maack, ITF Chief Test Engineer and Site Director. “I could not be more proud of the collective team effort between the ITF and the HMS Queen Elizabeth crew to make this happen.” Captain Nick Cooke Priest, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s new Commanding Officer who was in command for the second phase of this current set of F-35 trials said this autumn’s trials had marked “a significant milestone on the Royal Navy’s journey back to big deck carrier operations. “The schedule has been busy and challenging and the results have eclipsed the aspiration; this success is largely due to the exceptional relationship that exists between the ship and her embarked staff, and the scientists, engineers and pilots of the F-35 Integrated Test Force, all of whom have shown exceptional professionalism, dedication and drive.” He continued: “This deployment has however delivered far more than the initial integration of fixed wing aircraft with the ship. “It has re-introduced the true value that carrier capabilities bring to the UK and her allies, it has deepened our relationship with our closest ally, demonstrated our nation’s engineering prowess and cemented our commitment to the future as a global navy.” The carrier is now spending time in Norfolk, Virginia, offloading the ITF team and their equipment before heading back to Portsmouth in time for Christmas. She will come home, said Carrier Strike Group Commander Commodore Michael Utley, with a real buzz on board. “This is positive time to be a Royal Navy sailor, a positive time to be Royal Navy aircrew and a positive time for the UK-US partnership in providing a greater depth of security across the globe.” Source: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk

The French guided missile destroyer D614 FS Cassard has rescued twelve crew members of a stricken asphalt-bitumen tanker in the Persian Gulf. FS Cassard was on her way to join the Kuwaiti exercise Pearl of the West when she picked up distress signals from the Durban Queen which was listing heavily. Four crew members were rescued by helicopter and the other eight directly by the destroyer. Photo : Raymond Wergan, Newton Ferrers. ©

MoD lifts axe on three Royal Navy patrol ships to boost UK fisherman in scallop wars Britain will extend in service a number of Royal Navy ships to better protect fisherman who became embroiled in the scallop wars. Three Royal Navy Fishery Protection ships will be kept in service potentially until 2027, but no new money has been identified, it has been announced. The Ministry of Defence has said three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), will be retained for at least the next two years to bolster the UK’s ability to protect our fishing fleet as well as our shores. The Royal Navy currently provides around 200 days of fishery protection a year. The extension of the Batch 1 fleet of OPVs, HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn, which currently support the Fishery Protection Squadron, means that the Royal Navy will now have the capacity to deliver up to 600 days of fishery protection a year if needed Earlier this year 35 French boats confronted five British craft off the coast of northern France last week, with reports of rocks and smoke bombs being hurled at UK mariners. Tensions also flared in September when Cornish fishermen accused French trawlers of deliberately sabotaging their crab pots, costing them hundreds of thousands of pounds. Speaking on board patrol vessel HMS Tyne, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Britain’s patrol vessels are essential to protecting our waters, our fisheries and our national security. "Safeguarding the future of these three ships in the Royal Navy will ensure we can respond quickly to incidents at any time, further protecting our waters as we exit the EU." Last month, HMS Tyne monitored a Russian frigate as it passed through the English Channel, while in 2017, HMS Mersey returned from a 48,000 mile deployment where she played a key part in a £12 million drugs bust off the coast of Nicaragua and helped combat the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean Britain has committed £648 million to bring into service five new Batch 2 OPVs, for delivery in 2020. The Batch 2’s had been ordered by David Cameron in 2010 to secure the Scottish shipbuilding yards. HMS Forth, HMS Medway, HMS Trent, HMS Tamar and HMS Spey will combat people and drug smuggling and promote the interests of Global Britain around the world The decision to extend the three Batch 1 ships, which are based in Portsmouth, has come with no new money attached. The Telegraph understands that any funding decision is likely to be part of the government’s ongoing Modernising Defence Programme and Comprehensive Spending Review; the latter due in Spring next year. Source : telegraph KD Hang Tuah to be turned into naval museum In line with the tradition practised by navies around the world, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) had chosen KD Hang Tuah, the oldest vessel serving in its fleet to be turned into a Naval Museum. The transformation of the ship into a museum will be done through a collaboration between Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) Sdn Bhd and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said the vessel, which was over 50 years old, would be housed at the Royal Lumut Museum when ready. “Initially, the Naval Museum will stay docked at Lumut Base until the permanent structural jetty is ready. “We will carry out modification and conservation works on KD Hang Tuah, which will be done by BNS Sdn Bhd and expect it to be open to visitors by early next year,“ he said at a press conference after officiating the ship as a Naval Museum at the Lumut Naval Base jetty here today. KD Hang Tuah was commissioned on July 22, 1977 and is a well-known asset in the 21st Frigate Squadron. Throughout its years in service, the ship has travelled some 500,000km, which is equivalent to circling the globe 12.5 times. — Bernama

Littoral Combat Ship Report to Congress November 22, 2018 6:23 AM The following is the Oct. 22, 2018 Congressional Research Service report, Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress. The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a relatively inexpensive surface combatant equipped with modular mission packages. Navy plans call for procuring a total of 32 LCSs. The first LCS was procured in FY2005, and the Navy’s proposed FY2018 budget requested the procurement of the 30th and 31st LCSs. As part of its action on the Navy’s proposed FY2018 budget, Congress procured three LCSs—one more than the two that were requested. Thus, a total of 32 LCSs have been procured through FY2018. The Navy’s proposed FY2019 budget, which was submitted to Congress before Congress finalized action on the Navy’s FY2018 budget, requests $646.2 million for the procurement of one LCS. If Congress had procured two LCSs in FY2018, as requested by the Navy, the LCS requested for procurement in FY2019 would have been the 32nd LCS. With the procurement of three LCSs in FY2018, the LCS requested for procurement in FY2019 would be the 33rd LCS. The Navy’s plan for achieving and maintaining a 355-ship fleet includes a goal for achieving and maintaining a force of 52 small surface combatants (SSCs). The Navy’s plan for achieving that goal is to procure 32 LCSs, and then procure 20 new frigates, called FFG(X)s, with the first FFG(X) to be procured in FY2020. Multiple industry teams are now competing for the FFG(X) program. The design of the FFG(X) is to be based on either an LCS design or a different existing hull design. The FFG(X) program is covered in another CRS report. The LCS program includes two very different LCS designs. One was developed by an industry team led by Lockheed; the other was developed by an industry team that was then led by General Dynamics. LCS procurement has been divided evenly between the two designs. The design developed by the Lockheed-led team is built at the Marinette Marine shipyard at Marinette, WI, with Lockheed as the prime contractor; the design developed by the team that was led by General Dynamics is built at the Austal USA shipyard at Mobile, AL, with Austal USA as the prime contractor. The LCS program has been controversial over the years due to past cost growth, design and construction issues with the first LCSs, concerns over the survivability of LCSs (i.e., their ability to withstand battle damage), concerns over whether LCSs are sufficiently armed and would be able to perform their stated missions effectively, and concerns over the development and testing of the modular mission packages for LCSs. The Navy’s execution of the program has been a matter of congressional oversight attention for several years. Issues for Congress for the LCS program for FY2019 include the following:  the number of LCSs to procure in FY2019;  the Navy’s proposal to procure a final LCS in FY2019 and then shift to procurement of FFG(X)s starting in FY2020;  a July 2018 Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General (IG) report regarding IOC dates for LCS mine countermeasures (MCM) mission package systems;  survivability, lethality, technical risk, and test and evaluation issues relating to LCSs and their mission packages; and  LCS deployments in 2018. Source: https://news.usni.org

France sends massive Signal Intelligence Ship with escort to Syria Dupuy de Lome, a French signal intelligence (SIGINT) ship designed to conduct electronic surveillance and intelligence collection, has entered the Eastern Mediterranean and is headed toward Syria, according to ship-tracking websites. The ship, equipped with a wide assortment of antennae and communications equipment, is accompanied by a Lafayette-class general-purpose frigate. According to open sources, Dupuy de Lome — weighing some 3600 tons and 334 feet long — is used for signals intelligence by the Directorate of Military Intelligence of France (DRM). Launched in 2004, little is known about the ship. Open sources suggest that installed equipment includes various radio-intelligence systems, a radar/radiation warning system, satellite communications systems and two navigational radar locators. The ship's hardware allows for the discovery, pinpointing and analyzation of various radar systems radiation, as well as the ability to intercept, pinpoint and eavesdrop on communication systems, including low Earth orbit satellites. Some reports suggest the ship is capable of intercepting email and cell phone conversations. In 2014, during the Ukrainian crisis, the ship entered the Black Sea several times. Since the Montreux Convention, non-Black Sea states' military ships may not stay in the maritime region for more than 21 days. Recently, US intelligence ramped up its activities near Syria, reportedly conducting surveillance over Eastern Mediterranean regions near Syria, as well as on Syrian soil. Two US intelligence airplanes conducted flights in the proximity of Russian ship locations, as well as near the Hmeymim air force base and the Tartus naval facility. Source: Sputnik What exactly is the Collins life of type extension? Part 2—A mindset 20 Nov 2018 Marcus Hellyer

Image courtesy of the Department of Defence.

In part 1, I posed the question of what, conceptually, the life of type extension (LOTE) for the navy’s Collins-class submarines is. Is it simply an obsolescence-management program, allowing the Collins to degrade more or less gracefully while avoiding excessive investment in an ageing platform? Or is it a program that seeks to preserve the Collins as a frontline capability until its retirement? The question can only be answered as part of a coherent overall transition model. The obsolescence-management approach might (just) be compatible with a transition model that seeks to get us out of the Collins business as soon as possible (transition option 1 in my study Thinking through submarine transition), but it doesn’t seem compatible with a transition model that seeks to increase our submarine capability as soon as possible in response to escalating strategic uncertainty (transition option 2). Why would we extend the service life of all six boats but not give them the capability enhancements necessary to keep them as a frontline fighting force? Aside from the capability benefits, one of the advantages of option 2 is that it provides a buffer against delays in the future submarine program. And whether we like it or not, the evolving future submarine schedule seems to be moving us from option 1 closer to option 2. In my transition study, I assumed we would get useful capability from the first future submarine from 2032. At this month’s Submarine Institute of Australia conference, Rear Admiral Greg Sammut, the head of the future submarine program, presented a program schedule that suggests the first future submarine won’t complete trials until around 2034 or 2035. That view is consistent with comments from the chief of navy. But if events are moving us from transition option 1 to option 2, we should also be moving away from an approach to capability that simply manages a process of graceful degradation. There is a second, related question, which is when will the LOTE take place? In the transition tables in Thinking through submarine transition, I drew on Defence officials’ Senate testimony about the LOTE, which essentially presents it as an additional round of full-cycle dockings—the third for the Collins—starting in 2026, giving each submarine a further 10 years of service. But if the LOTE is about enhanced capability and not just additional service life, why should it be tied to a particular point in time? If these submarines really are one of our pre-eminent strategic capabilities, why we would accept a schedule that only delivers the full, enhanced Collins fleet by 2038, which is when the final full-cycle docking on the sixth boat would be completed? A final round of full-cycle dockings will be required, but the capability enhancement delivered by a LOTE doesn’t necessarily need to completely coincide with them. I don’t want to get into the interminable terminological disputes that pervade Defence about LOTEs versus mid-life upgrades versus capability assurance programs, but it does seem that the term LOTE doesn’t fully describe what we need to do with the Collins. It may be more useful to regard the LOTE as a mindset, or philosophy, that is focused on doing whatever we can, whenever we can, to enhance the Collins’ capability. The presentations at the SIA conference suggest that, despite the policy vacuum, Defence has begun to work with industry to see what’s possible with the Collins, and industry is generating many exciting ideas about how to enhance its capability. But if enhancements are worth doing, then perhaps Defence should start doing them as part of the current round of full-cycle dockings—or as part of mid-cycle or intermediate dockings that will occur well before the final round of full-cycle dockings. It was also clear at the conference that industry is putting a lot of thought into exploring commonalities between the Collins and the future submarine. There are opportunities to de-risk the design of the future submarine by using the Collins as a testbed and allowing Collins crew to train on the systems they’ll be using on the future submarine (such as non-penetrating optronics masts). Perhaps the benchmark of what’s possible in this regard is the Swedish navy’s submarine transition; many of the key systems that will be installed in its new A26 have already been installed on its predecessor, the Gotland, in its recently completed mid-life upgrade. It’s unlikely that such a high level of commonality will be possible between the Collins, with its Swedish design heritage, and the French future submarine, but we need to think creatively in the quest to keep the Collins as a viable frontline capability. And part of that creative thinking may involve inserting future submarine systems into the Collins well before its final round of full-cycle dockings begin. There has been discussion about acquiring an interim submarine to prevent a capability gap. I would argue that introducing a third submarine into what is already the most challenging capability transition that Defence has ever undergone is an unmanageable risk. It is the Collins itself, creatively and continuously enhanced, that offers the best prospect for an interim capability. Moreover, while crystal ball gazing is inherently dangerous, an enhanced Collins provides some mitigation against a range of future scenarios. Say we get to 2030 and it becomes more and more apparent that large submarines crewed by dozens of personnel are too risky a proposition for undersea warfare. We could dial back investment in future submarines that would be in service until the 2080s knowing that the Collins and a small number of future submarines could provide our undersea capability during transition to a future made up of unmanned systems or a mix of manned and unmanned systems. Who knows what the future will bring—the point is that an enhanced and extended Collins provides options to limit risks in the transition to whatever future we find ourselves in. Of course, a program that keeps the ageing Collins as a frontline capability for another 30 years will cost more than one that simply lets it gradually fade away. But it’s clear from the most recent Coles report on sustainment of the Collins that, despite the dramatic progress towards international benchmarks in its availability, there’s still some way to go in affordability. There’s potentially more to be learned about cost consciousness from small operators who go far on the smell of an oily rag, such as the Swedes. However it’s done, sustainment costs need to be brought down and the savings need to be put towards capability enhancements. But before a transition plan can be developed, the government needs to decide what it wants from the transition. Is it trying to get out of the Collins business as quickly and cheaply as possible? Or is it trying to enhance Australia’s submarine capability as soon as possible to meet the challenges of an era of strategic uncertainty? Author : Marcus Hellyer is ASPI’s senior analyst for defence economics and capability. Source: https://www.aspistrategist.org.au ‘Expose pupils to maritime studies’ Pre-primary ideal place to start, says professor By Deneesha Pillay – 23 November 2018

NMU Business School senior lecturer Dr Jessica Fraser, left, maritime business professor Dr Portia Ndlovu and associate professor of supply chain management at the School of Business and Law at the University of Agder in Norway, Naima Saeed, at an event at the NMU Business School on Thursday Image: Daneel Kriel

Schooling children in maritime studies from pre-primary level is necessary to narrow the gap between education, training and the maritime industry. This is according to maritime business professor, lawyer and businesswoman, Dr Portia Ndlovu, who would like to see maritime studies added to the school curriculum to encourage young people to become involved in the sector. Ndlovu, of Durban, was speaking at the Nelson Mandela University Business School on Thursday. She is now based at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and specialises in international trade laws, particularly maritime law. “I would like to see regulation that is real and that can allow people to feel included and that they own a piece of the action in maritime,” she said. “We cannot even think of building stand-up boards if they don’t even care about the ocean or if they cannot even tell where the ocean is in relation to them when they are sitting in a classroom. “South Africa has already gone through such a rough time, nobody wants to suffer for the future. “We need to learn to sacrifice for the future by putting in the extra hours to develop people who are willing to lead within the maritime space.” Ndlovu said the country also needed to look at having South African-registered ships train people to become cadets. “South Africa needs to be as competitive as all the others in an already strong maritime [environment]. “There are certainly gaps with regards to training. “But I have visited a number of training institutions around SA that are a doing a fantastic job at producing high-quality people,” she said. “However, we have such a wide responsibility as a coastal nation so more training needs to be done. “This is so that we don’t leave behind the kids that would otherwise never be exposed to maritime.” Naima Saeed, associate professor of supply chain management at the School of Business and Law at the University of Agder in Norway, said SA was the third- best connected country in Africa. Saeed said Norway was one of the stronger nations in the maritime economy and SA could draw on its experience, but that each country had its challenges. According to the UN Maritime Connectivity Index, Norway was the least connected country compared with other stronger nations such as China, Denmark and South Korea. “In many ways Norway is very strong such as in environmental protection, but it is not well connected,” Saeed said. SA was growing in connectivity, she said. With an 800km coastline, the Eastern Cape has been pegged as a key area in which to drive economic growth through the oceans economy. The industry is one of the government’s selling points as an emerging growth node, especially for small businesses. But Ndlovu said Operation Phakisa had become a meaningless term for many. “Pay statisticians to make Operation Phakisa mean something for your average young person between 15 and 35. “We need statistical data about what is meant by onemillion jobs by 2030 so that it can be practically applied. Source: https://www.heraldlive.co.za

New Maritime bursary opportunity opens up for women in South Africa By Nokulunga Xala November 22, 2018 Female empowerment is encouraged nationally and internationally, with various industries concerned with giving women more opportunities in otherwise male-dominated arenas. This is something that the South African International Maritime Institute (Saimi) is fully aware of, and trying to change that dynamic by unlocking the oceans economy for women in South Africa with the announcement of a new bursary scheme. The Sindiswa Carol “Tu” Nhlumayo Merit bursary is now open for young black women wanting to pursue studies at undergraduate and postgraduate qualification at any tertiary institution in South Africa. The bursary is open to South African black women (African, Coloured and Indian) under the age of 35 years. The bursary is available for a wide variety of maritime related study fields, including Marine Engineering, Oceanography, Logistics, Shipping, Ocean Governance, Environmental law, Geological Sciences, Zoology and Marine Ecology. The Centre for Maritime Excellence at the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) is honouring the late Nhlumayo who played a pioneering role in putting maritime skills development on the map in South Africa, in particular by empowering women in the sector, and championed the establishment of Saimi. Saimi project manager Odwa Mtati said the bursary is aimed at continuing the work of Nhlumayo by encouraging a meaningful contribution by women to the maritime sector, and particularly to encourage the participation of young black women. “She was pivotal in the promotion of women’s participation in the maritime sector, she also played a critical role in establishing Saimi, and the bursary scheme in her name honours her contribution to grow South Africa’s skills capacity in the oceans economy, said Mtati. Recipients will have full cost of their tuition fees and textbooks covered. They will also be afforded opportunities to attend Saimi conferences and other maritime related events, as well as participating in organised bodies supporting women in maritime and science. The application closing date is 30th November. Source: https://www.htxt.co.za Workhorses of the sea