Current Events in Europe

The fourth SSBN of his class commissioned 20 September 2010, and the first with the new M51 SLBM, to be retrofitted in the previous boats (incidentally, in the DB is only modelled the ill-fated M-5 SLBM, it's not modelled the interim M45 neither the new M51, but it's not a problem with this type of weapon ): http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=114120 http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=114121 About Le Terrible (in French): http://www.netmarine.net/bat/smarins/terribl2/index.htm

From Jane's Funding may delay UK's first JSF purchase By Tim Ripley 4 November 2008 UK procurement officials are considering options to push back the first purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, amid growing speculation that funding shortfalls are threatening UK participation in the programme. Jane's has learnt that UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have raised the possibility of not buying three low-rate initial production (LRIP) aircraft over the next two years at a cost of some GBP450 million (USD742 million) and delaying purchases until production-standard aircraft are available in the middle of the next d…

From Stratfor Geopolitical Intelligence Report - Russia: Kosovo and the Asymmetry of Perceptions 12.18.2007 Russia: Kosovo and the Asymmetry of Perceptions By George Friedman Kosovo appears to be an archaic topic. The Yugoslavian question was a 1990s issue, while the Kosovo issue has appeared to be one of those conflicts that never quite goes away but isn't regarded very seriously by the international community. You hear about it but you don't care about it. However, Kosovo is getting very serious again. The United States and Europe appear committed to making Kosovo, now a province of Serbia, an independent state. Of course, Serbia opposes this, but more…

From RIA Novosti Georgia and Russia - doomed to conflict 21:06 | 20/ 08/ 2007 MOSCOW. (Yelena Imedashvili for RIA Novosti) - It would be naive to assume that a joint Russian-Georgian expert inquiry would produce a unanimous opinion on what aircraft became a catalyst for another aggravation of bilateral relations. It is hard to say why Tbilisi and Moscow went into this joint inquiry, considering that it was clear from the very beginning that neither side would give radar evidence against itself. This is exactly what happened and both Georgia and Russia hastened to accuse each other of concealing information and forging evidence, although both understood wh…

Clear photos of the almost new Italian CVH Cavour in Marseille (and two years after his commisioning, without the two intended 76mm Super Rapid guns fitted, but I see something like radar gun director for those weapons): http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=114588

From Defense Aerospace United Kingdom – RC-135V/W Rivet Joint Aircraft (Source: U.S Defence Security Cooperation Agency; issued October 3, 2008) WASHINGTON --- The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom to convert three United States Air Force KC-135R aircraft into RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft, as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $1.068 billion. The Government of the United Kingdom has requested a possible sale to convert three United States Air Force KC-135R aircraft into RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircr…

Russia's Military Might Is Center Stage At Show By Associated Press ZHUKOVSKY, Russia -- The largest air show in Russia's post-Soviet history opened yesterday to show off the country's growing military might and to try to boost the country's sagging civilian plane-making sector. "The task stands before us of supporting our leadership in the production of military aviation technology," President Vladimir Putin said at the International Aviation and Space Show at the once-secret Zhukovsky military airfield in Moscow's outskirts. He said Russian manufacturers "must more actively enter the world market for passenger and transport aircraft with competitive prod…

From RIA Novosti Russia could focus on tactical nuclear weapons for subs 12:43 | 23/ 03/ 2009 MOSCOW, March 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia may prioritize the development of nuclear-powered attack submarines armed with nuclear-capable cruise missiles in the future, while maintaining its fleet of strategic subs, a senior Navy official said. The Russian Navy maintains a fleet of about 60 submarines, including 10 nuclear-powered strategic submarines, over 30 nuclear-powered attack submarines, diesel-electric submarines and special-purpose subs. "Probably, tactical nuclear weapons [on submarines] will play a key role in the future," Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev, deput…

From http://www.defense-aerospace.com Ministry of Defence Announces AirTanker Ltd as Preferred Bidder on FSTA Programme Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Feb. 28, 2005 The Royal Air Force is a step closer to getting a modern air refuelling aircraft under a Private Finance Initiative programme worth £13bn. The British based AirTanker consortium has today been selected as Preferred Bidder for the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme, which will create hundreds of jobs in the UK and sustain thousands of others. Geoff Hoon, Defence Secretary said: "FSTA is the MoD's biggest Private Finance Initiative project. I applaud the positive…

From BBC [excerpt]

From Navy Times Russian reports: Fastest sub to be scrapped By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Jul 29, 2008 11:57:35 EDT The fastest attack submarine ever built, Russia’s one-of-a-kind Papa-class guided missile boat, is at last being scrapped after a long fleet career and an ignominious retirement, Russian news agencies reported Monday. The submarine, known first as the K-162 and later the K-222 to its Northern Fleet crews, clocked a speed of 44.7 knots during sea trials in 1969, according to the nuclear watchdog Bellona. The ship served as a technology demonstrator for the subsequent high-speed, deep-diving Alfa class. The ship achieved its…

From Defence Talk Russia walks away from CFE arms treaty Agence France-Presse | Dec 13, 2007 MOSCOW: Russia on Wednesday walked out of a key Cold War treaty setting limits on troops and weapons across Europe, but promised there were no immediate plans for a major military build-up. Russia's participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty was suspended from midnight in Moscow (2100 GMT Tuesday), the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Such a step has been caused by the exceptional circumstances connected to the content of the treaty which concern the security of Russia and demand that we take immediate measures," the ministry sta…

From DefenseNews Posted 10/25/06 13:23 Russian Missile Explodes After Test Launch By DMITRY SOLOVYOV, REUTERS, MOSCOW Russia’s newest intercontinental ballistic missile, which military sources said was successfully tested on Oct. 25, actually fell into the sea several minutes into its flight, Russia’s navy said. The failed test comes after the latest series of mishaps at Russia’s navy, once the focus of national pride and symbol of its military might. Navy sources told local news agencies earlier on Oct. 25 that the Bulava missile had been launched from a nuclear submarine in the White Sea and flew nearly the length of the giant nation to the Kura military tes…

France, Britain Sign Carrier Pact DefenseNews By REUTERS, INNSBRUCK France and Britain signed an accord to jointly construct three aircraft carriers on March 6, with France agreeing to pay 100 million pounds ($176 million) in phases towards the design work. Britain hopes to deliver the first of two new aircraft carriers to the Royal Navy sometime around 2012, while France wants one new ship by about 2014. "This project is important to both our countries and the signing of this agreement today is a major step forward for our cooperation on future aircraft carriers," British Defence Secretary John Reid said at a joint signing ceremony with French count…

From RIA Novosti Russian carrier-based fighters exercise over Atlantic 15:21 | 16/ 12/ 2008 MOSCOW, December 16 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian naval group led by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, en route to the Mediterranean, conducted a series of training flights over the Celtic Sea, a Navy spokesman said on Tuesday. Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said Su-33 ship-based fighters had flown a total of 10 sorties. The naval group left the Northern Fleet base in Severomorsk on December 5 and set course for the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In addition to the Admiral Kuznetsov, it includes the Admiral Levchenko destroyer and a support ship and will begin a…

Couple of interesting recent YouTube videos:

From Defense Aerospace Diamond Cuts the Waves (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Nov. 27, 2007) The Royal Navy's newest and most powerful Type 45 destroyer - Diamond - was launched today, Tuesday 27 November 2007, from BAE's shipyard at Govan, on the River Clyde. Thousands of local people turned out for the launch, including many local schoolchildren. The Type 45 destroyers are the larger and more powerful replacement for the existing Type 42s. The destroyer will carry the world-leading PAAMS system (Principal Anti-Air Missile System) which is capable of defending a Type 45 and ships in its company from multiple attacks by the most sophisticated anti-s…

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

Israel buys 2 German subs By YAAKOV KATZ Jerusalem Post In the face of Iran's race to obtain nuclear power, Israel signed a contract with Germany last month to buy two Dolphin-class submarines that will, according to foreign reports, provide superior second-strike nuclear capabilities, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The submarines will be assembled in Germany and provided with a propulsion system allowing them to remain underwater for far longer than the submarines currently in the Israel Navy's fleet. According to sources close to the deal, the submarines will be operational in the near future. The Post has also learned that the navy is considering ins…

From Defense Aerospace New Milestone for France’s Fourth New-Generation Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine: DCNS Rolls Out SSBN Le Terrible (Source: DCNS; issued March 21, 2008) CHERBOURG, France --- Today, DCNS rolled out SSBN Le Terrible, the fourth and last Le Triomphant-class new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine at a ceremony attended by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Over 3,000 people witnessed the roll-out at DCNS’s Cherbourg shipyard, the home of excellence in French submarine construction for over 100 years. SSBN Le Terrible is the fourth and last boat of the Le Triomphant class which is progressively replacing the …