JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 VOL 118 • ISSUE 1 ihs.com/janes Shoot to kill France’s re-born AAW capability Roper OFC_JNI_130102.indd 034 14/12/2012 11:43:58 INSTANT ACCURACY What if a weapon system could provide you with the hit capability required to pinpoint just the bad guys, leaving the good guys unharmed and safe? The Trackfire RWS, our remote weapon and sensor system, can do just that. Even under extreme conditions, mounted on a vessel operating in rough seas at high speeds, you can trust it to get the job done, every time. Enabling you to take on any threat out there. Trackfire RWS is fully stabilized, compact and designed for use on all types of military platforms. Trackfire RWS will put you in control of any hostile situation, It offers exceptional slew-to-cue and on-the-move dramatically increasing your safety. And it will work wonders hit performance, a flexible multi-weapon solution and a state-of-the-art video tracker. Trackfire RWS for your authority. is built on experience and designed for extensive tech transfer with industrial co-operation in mind. www.saabgroup.com Roper IHS Jane’s, Sentinel House 163 Brighton Road, Coulsdon, Surrey, CR5 2YH, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 8700 3700. Email: [email protected] contents January/February 2013, Volume 117 Editorial Acting Editor: Kate Tringham US Naval Reporter: Grace Jean Consultant Editor: Richard Scott ON THE COVER Correspondents: Guy Anderson, Victor Barreira, Rahul Bedi, Alon Ben-David, Jon Grevatt, Jose Higuera, Julian Kerr, J A C Lewis, Mrityanjoy Mazumdar, Alex Pape, Luca Peruzzi, Menno Steketee, Guy Toremans 28 Chief Sub-Editor: Jonathan Maynard Deputy Chief Sub-Editor: Thomas Brown An Aster 30 Sub-Editors: Jessica D’Alonzo, Karen Deans, Terry Gault, launches from Royal Netherlands Navy: 1480987 Susie Kornell, Deborah Miller, Dom Passantino, Clare Welton the frigate Forbin Design during a live Head of Design: Roberto Filistad firing trial of the Chief Designer: Jeff Pye PAAMS(E) missile system. The French MoD: 1451343 Production Navy has made significant strides in 10 6 Director EMEA, Production Services: David Ward rejuvenating its air defence capability. Production Manager: Jane Lawrence MBDA: 1451374 Production Controller: Martyn Buchanan Production Services: Tony Boland, Kevan Box, Harriet Harding, Wayne Sudbury Features Signals Advertising Senior Key Accounts Manager: 10 Great expectations: tapping the 4 US Navy begins deck handling, Richard West, [email protected] Advertising Copy Executive: potential of the Astute class catapult tests of UCAS-D Wayne Bulled, [email protected] HMS Astute is approaching the end of 5 New Zealand plans upgrade for General an extended first-of-class trials Anzac frigates Director, News and Analysis: James Green Director, EMEA Editing and Design: Sara Morgan programme. Richard Scott finds out 6 Four shortlisted for UK maritime Group Publishing Director: Sean Howe what the Royal Navy can expect from UAS requirement Senior Vice President IHS & Managing Director IHS Jane’s: Michael Dell its latest SSN design Administrative Assistant: Hannah Wall 16 Green shoots: testing alternative Analysis Subscriptions Online: Telephone USA: (+1 800) 824 0768. Rest of World: fuels to sustain global reach 8 Logistic Support Vessels: the new +44 (0) 20 8700 3750. Print: Telephone USA: (+1 800) 824 The US Navy wants to significantly maids of all work? 0768. Rest of World: +44 (0) 1858 438 756 reduce its dependence on foreign- To order reprints of IHS Jane’s articles/features please contact [email protected] or call +44 (0)20 8700 3738. Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2013. All rights reserved. No part of Industry Update this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, sourced fossil fuels as part of an mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without prior written permission of IHS Global Limited. Any views or opinions expressed overarching strategy to improve energy 33 DCNS and Pirou of France mull do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of IHS Global Limited or its affiliates. Disclaimer of liability: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy security. Eric Lindeman reports marine security ship joint venture of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, IHS Global Limited and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the 22 Back on the world stage: Russian New facility at Pearl Harbor will extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. naval power in 2013 and beyond support Virginia-class submarines Advertising: Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit to us and for ensuring that the material complies with applicable laws. 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The French Navy has seen significant SSN funding investment in its air-defence capability • Spain to buy more ex-US Seahawks • CH-53K gears up for flight trials realised on the frontline over the last • DCNS delivers first FREMM frigate for France This publication was produced using FSC® certified paper decade. Henri-Pierre Grolleau reports $8675$/,$·6 35,0( '()(1&( &2175$&725 Roper VDOHV#DXVWDOFRP ZZZDXVWDOFRP ihs.com/janes January/February 2013 Jane’s Navy International | 3 003_JNI_130102.indd 03 17/12/2012 14:05:08 signals For further in-depth analysis go to ihs.com/janes in brief US Navy begins deck handling, Greece issues tender The Hellenic Coast Guard has catapult tests of UCAS-D issued an international tender for six new coastal patrol boats. The GRACE JEAN tender, released through the Ministry of Merchant Marine and the Aegean and announced on 6 The US Navy has commenced December, is backed by funding a series of at-sea flight deck from the European Union’s demonstrations of its X-47B External Borders Fund. In total Unmanned Combat Air System the EU is contributing 75% of the demonstrator (UCAS-D) on costs, with the remainder met by board a Nimitz-class aircraft Greece. The total value of the carrier in addition to continu- tender is EUR14 million (USD18.1 million). The first three ing shore-based catapult-launch boats are expected to be tests of a second air vehicle. delivered 14 months from As part of a two-week test contract signing and the period on board USS Harry S remainder after 20 months. Bids Truman (CVN 75), Northrop USN: 1478500 are due by 11 February 2013. Grumman’s UCAS-D, a low- The largest vessels of the observable tailless autonomous Hellenic Coast Guard in service aircraft, began test operations on Northrop Grumman’s X-47B UCAS-D operates for the first time on the flight are three Sa’ar 4-class offshore the carrier’s flight deck on deck of aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) while underway on patrol vessels, acquired in 2003. 10 December. 10 December. Ocean begins refit package Babcock has commenced work “The UCAS-D team will first shore-based catapult launch The X-47B’s first successful on a GBP65 million contract conduct a series of tests aboard of the X-47B air vehicle on 29 flight was in February 2011. to refit and upgrade the UK the ship to verify X-47’s compat- November was followed by a It made a first flight from NAS Royal Navy landing platform ibility with the carrier environ- flight test demonstrating two Patuxent River, Maryland, on 29 helicopter vessel HMS Ocean. ment and equipment,” Captain manoeuvres for landing aboard July 2012. The 15-month overhaul, being Jaime Engdahl, UCAS-D pro- a carrier: flying in a typical ship- Lessons learned from the undertaken at Devonport Royal gramme manager, told IHS Jane’s. holding pattern and executing a X-47B tests and the UCAS-D Dockyard in Plymouth, will involve “The primary objective of the test carrier approach flight profile. programme will support follow- significant work to improve habit- ability on board.