Current Events in Europe

From DefenseNews Russian Navy to Start Sorties in Atlantic-Tass REUTERS, MOSCOW Russia’s navy said on Wednesday it would start sorties in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, the latest move by an increasingly assertive Moscow to demonstrate its military might. “The aim of the sorties is to ensure a naval presence in tactically important regions of the world ocean,” Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov told President Vladimir Putin, according to a transcript of the meeting supplied by the Kremlin. Buoyed by huge oil revenues, Russia under Putin has been boosting military spending while at the same time using diplomacy to broaden Moscow’s influence. Earlier …

Irkut Delivers First Su-30SM Fighters to Russian Air Force (RIA Novosti)

From Defence Aerospace Franco-Italian Horizon Program: Launch of the First French Frigate Source: DCN; issued March 10, 2005 LORIENT, France --- An official ceremony was held today at the DCN shipyards in Lorient to mark the launching of the Forbin, the first Horizon class French frigate. This industrial operation marks an important milestone for the cooperative Franco-Italian naval program. DGA and NAVARM, the two procurement agencies for the Horizon program, have awarded the overall project management for this cooperative program to HORIZON SAS, a joint subsidiary of Armaris (a DCN/Thales joint venture) and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (a Fincantieri/Finmecca…

From CBC News [excerpt]

From Defense Aerospace Rafale International Moves A Step Forward In Greece By Reinforcing Its Presence in Athens (Source: Rafale International; issued March 4, 2008) Today, March 4 2008, Mr. Eric Trappier Rafale International Managing Director has inaugurated the Rafale International office, located 80-88 Syngrou Avenue, 117 41 Athens in presence of H. E. Mr Christophe Farnaud, Ambassador of France in Greece, during a ceremony held at the French Embassy. Rafale International’s three partners have been supplying aircraft to Greece since 1974, with the purchase of 40 Mirage F1 at first, followed by the signature in 1985 of the TALOS contract for the acquisiti…

From RIA Novosti [excerpt] CV32: "Flarecraft" is a reference to 'wing in ground effect' vehicles or 'ekranoplan'.

If you're considering writing a scenario for the Black Sea that covers current (ongoing) events, this might be helpful: Know Your Enemy: Russian Military Aviation in European Russia and Temporarily Occupied Crimea

The T-50 Fighter Will Feature Even Greater Stealth Capabilities (Defense Aerospace) PAK FA stealth features patent published (Jane's)

Russian Navy Launches First Varshavyanka-Class Sub for Black Sea Fleet (RIA Novosti)

Russia reports successful test launch of hypersonic missile (DefenseNews) The SS-N-33 (aka Zircon).

From Defence Aerospace Keel of Third Astute-Class Submarine Is Laid Source: UK Defence Procurement Agency; issued March 11, 2005 First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West today performed the traditional 'laying the keel' ceremony for HMS Artful -- one of the biggest and most powerful attack submarines ever procured by the Royal Navy. The ceremony marks the formal start of construction of HMS Artful, the third Astute-class submarine under construction by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness. She joins HMS Astute and HMS Ambush, currently being assembled at the Barrow shipyard. With improved communications, a greater capacity for joint operations and the ability…

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/russian-black-sea-warship-now-equipped-with-ground-based-sam-system

Russia Conducts Three Times More War Games than Nato (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

From Flight International DATE: 08/09/08 SOURCE: Flight International Lessons of the five-day war By Vladimir Karnozov While its continued military presence in Georgia has drawn widespread condemnation from much of the international community, Russia is already looking to learn the lessons from its air force performance during last month's five-day war. Immediate, medium and long-term objectives are likely to be identified through its analysis of the conflict, which was sparked by Georgia's ill-fated move to stamp its authority on the breakaway region of South Ossetia. ADDITIONAL FUNDING Russian president Dmitry Medvedev says additional funding w…

From Jane's Daring handed over to UK Royal Navy By Tim Fish 12 December 2008 Daring, the first Type 45 destroyer built by BAE Systems/BVT Surface Fleet for the UK Royal Navy, has achieved Acceptance off Contract and was handed over to the UK Ministry of Defence on 10 December. The 7,450-ton destroyer is expected to undergo Stage Two sea trials from February to May 2009 and has an in-service date scheduled for late 2009. Launched in February 2006, Daring completed its final set of three contractor sea trials in September 2008 that tested its power, propulsion, weapon and communications systems. The following five ships of the class will only require t…

Norway Eyes Next-Gen Submarine Acquisition (DefenseNews)

The only one remaining operational Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring has also broken down when in the Gulf: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/883345/UK-warship-Royal-Navy-Gulf-HMS-Diamond

From Defense Aerospace U.S. Argues Against EU Lifting Arms Embargo Against China (Source: US Department of Defense; issued July 21, 2005) WASHINGTON --- The European Union lifting its arms embargo against China would bring "serious and numerous" consequences, according to a Defense Department report released this week. The European Union has embargoed arms sales to China since the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. In the past year China has run an intense lobbying effort to have the ban lifted, a move strongly opposed by U.S. officials. "We think the Chinese would be able to obtain in Europe a lot of military or dual-use technologies that would be of g…

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