Current Events in Europe

From Flight Global [excerpt]

From Ares Spain's Aircraft Carrier Begins Air-naval Certification Campaign Posted by Christina Mackenzie at 2/14/2011 9:28 AM CST The Juan Carlos I, Spain's amphibious aircraft carrier launched on September 30, 2010, is undergoing year-long sea trials and last week started the process of gaining its air-naval certification. The first helicopter landed aboard on February 8 at 10:51. Other helicopters from the 6th Squadron (Hughes 500) and the 3rd Squadron (AB-212) then followed. Commander Emilio Aceña Medina brings his helicopter in to land on the Juan Carlos I. Photo credit: Spanish Navy The next phase will involve landing and take-off of Harrier AV-8B …

Sea-testing of the Spanish LHD Juan Carlos I (the second largest warship of Europe, says the press release, waiting for the CVFs), one knot more about the expected maximum speed, and a new cut-away, none notice of the test in the Spanish media (in French): http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=113516

Watch This Russian KA-52 Attack Chopper Accidentally Fire Rockets at Exercise Observers (War Zone)

Confirmed, Russian pump-jet SS Alrosa now has Kalibr capabilities: https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2022/may/11739-russian-black-sea-fleet-oldest-sub-b871-alrosa-to-start-sea-trials-soon.html

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…

From RIA Novosti Russia's Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered cruiser plies English Channel 14:01 05/04/2010 The Russian nuclear-powered cruiser Pyotr Veliky, deployed to participate in the largest Russian Navy drills in the Indian Ocean, has crossed the English Channel for the first time in her history. "The ship has indeed passed through the channel for the first time," the commander of the cruiser, Capt. 2nd Rank Felix Menkov, told a RIA Novosti correspondent on board the vessel. "The English Channel is shallow...and has a great deal of potential risks, including heavy marine traffic both to the south and the north," Menkov said. Six days after leaving…

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

Kongsberg studies JSM for submarine launch (Jane's)

From DefenseNews Russian Aircraft Carrier On Its Way to North Atlantic By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MOSCOW The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov left the port of Murmansk on March 23 to carry out military exercises in the north Atlantic, Russian news reports said. “For two weeks, the Admiral Kuznetsov will implement a series of military exercises involving the airplanes on board,” ITAR-TASS quoted the Russian Navy chief-of-command as saying. More than 40 takeoffs are scheduled to take place during the exercises. The Admiral Kuznetsov went into active service in 1993. It is 302 meters long, weighs 55,000 tons, can reach a speed of 30 knots and can…

Russia’s ‘Mini Red October’ Subs Will Lack Advanced Propulsion System (The Diplomat)

Russian Sub to Feature Advanced Quiet Propulsion by 2016 (RIA Novosti)

Spangdahlem AB Airmen Launch Final A-10 Sortie In Europe (Defense Aerospace)

From DEW Line [excerpt]

Latest Images Of Russia’s Checkmate Fighter Shows Us Just How Big It Really Is (The War Zone, 13 November 2021)

BBC Newsbeat story. It gets the point across in an amusing way.

From Flight Global [excerpt]

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…

Work in progress in the two new LHD for Australia based in the Spanish Juan Carlos I design: Canberra launched on 17 February 2011: http://www.infodefensa.com/?noticia=el-lhd...-de-fene-ferrol Adelaide keel laid-down on 18 February 2011 in the same slip: http://www.infodefensa.com/?noticia=navant...-para-australia Asked the project director Jorge Lopez Novo about the Russian purchase of the French Mistral design, his answer was: " ... probably Russian Navy was looking for smaller ships than Juan Carlos I",

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]