Current Events in Europe

Interesting and useful info for aspiring scenario authors ... From Aviation Week Russia Upgrades Air Defenses May 11, 2010 By Maxim Pyadushkin Moscow The Russian air force took delivery of the first Pantsyr-S short-range air-defense systems in March. The Pantsyrs will gradually replace the old Tunguska antiaircraft weapons. The first 10 systems were released from KBP Instrument Design Bureau’s assembly site in Tula and transported to Alabino, near Moscow, and will be part of the Victory Day parade in Red Square on May 9. What’s unusual is that the first Pantsyr systems are being deployed to protect high-end surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) against aircraf…

New Photos of Russian Planes intercepted by Norwegian Fighter Jets Notice the picture of an armed Tu-22M, carrying a Kh-22 (NATO AS-4 'Kitchen').

Russia to reestablish Tu-160 supersonic bomber production line (Flight Global)

I thought this report was interesting ... From Flight Global DATE: 17/06/09 SOURCE: Flight Daily News PARIS AIR SHOW: MBDA advances hypersonic missile work with Russian deal By Craig Hoyle MBDA France has signed a deal with Russia's Rosoboronexport leading to a 2013-15 campaign of test firings with the LEA air-breathing hypersonic air vehicle, under study since 2003. Each 4.2m (13.8ft) vehicle will be released from a Tupolev Tu-22 bomber before being taken to a speed of between Mach 2 and 8 using a Raduga-supplied booster rocket, says Francois Falempin, responsible for advanced propulsion with MBDA France.

Sweden acts smart to deliver 'complete air force' (Flight Global)

Very interesting official briefing for fishing vessels and ferries in the current Joint Warrior 16-2 exercise in Scotland (a pity only the MCM ships are named, but a lot of intersting operational details, including sea grid use in submarine operations): http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/qhm/clyde/documents/20160928-jw162-brief-for-fishing-vessels-and-ferries-u-sosm-v2.pdf?la=en-gb

From DefenseNews U.S. To Take Over Baltic NATO Air Patrols in October By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, VILNIUS The United States will take over NATO patrols of the air space of the three Baltic states in October, the Lithuanian defense ministry said March 16. The announcement came after Lithuanian Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas held talks in the United States with his U.S. counterpart Donald Rumsfeld. “Kirkilas stressed the importance of NATO air police mission in the Baltics and expressed satisfaction that Americans will take over the mission from October to December,” the statement said. Four Norwegian F-16 fighters have been deployed at Zokniai air ba…

Here: http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Fotogallery/?fid=1.0.2216526060

A-7 Corsair II finally retires from service (Jane's)

From Defense Aerospace John C. Stennis Completes Operations with French Carrier Charles de Gaulle (Source: US Navy; issued April 17, 2007) USS JOHN C. STENNIS, At Sea --- USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) completed month-long operations with the French nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R 91) in the North Arabian Sea on April 16. Since Charles de Gaulle’s arrival in the region March 16, the two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers have been operating together in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Both ships are providing support to the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) on the ground in Afghanistan as well as conducting bilat…

From Jane's Commissioning problems hit Astute delivery By Richard Scott 8th September 2008 The introduction to service of Astute, the UK Royal Navy's (RN's) first Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), has suffered further delays as a result of problems encountered in the boat's commissioning and test phase. Representatives from prime contractor BAE Systems Submarine Solutions and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) have engaged in a joint review process to re-baseline the boat's programme to delivery. No formal announcement on the extent of the delay has been announced, but it is expected that the schedule slippage will push Astute's programme ac…

This is on the news networks: lot of damage and the oil ministry is on fire.

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

Russian air force takes first modernised Tupolev bombers (Flight Global)

HMS CREWLESS Daily Mirror EXCLUSIVE Royal Navy unveils Britain's biggest ever ships ..but there's not enough sailors to man them By Chris Hughes NAVY chiefs are desperately looking for more than 1,000 new recruits to help crew Britain's two biggest ever warships. The two £1.5billion 60,000-ton aircraft carriers - three times heavier than the ones currently in the fleet - are not due to be ready until 2012. But top brass are desperate to start recruiting now. One senior source revealed yesterday: "This is a crisis as we need hundreds more marines and engineers to be ready in time. "We are moving on from the Cold War. That's over, but the need for …

(extract) RIA Novosti For those of you wondering about the time difference, Russia's decided not to go back from Daylight Savings.

Russian Navy Gets New Carrier-Based Fighters (RIA Novosti)

From Defence Aerospace Launch of NATO’s Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) Programme (Source: NATO; issued March 16, 2005) NATO’s Theatre Missile Defence (TMD) Programme has reached a key milestone in Alliance efforts to field an Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) capability by 2010. As a practical example of the ongoing transformation of NATO’s military capabilities, on 11 March 2005 the North Atlantic Council approved the Charter for the ALTBMD Programme Management Organisation (PMO). This decision launched the Alliance’s ALTBMD Programme, which will provide protection against the threat of ballistic missiles…

Russian fleet to leave Crimea in 2017: Hrytsenko 5tv.com Russia will withdraw its fleet from Ukraine by the year 2017. Defense minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko made the announcement in Sevastopol on Thursday. He said that preparations for the Russian fleet's withdrawal should already be underway, as relocating the fleet is a process that will take many years. Hrytsenko was in Sevastopol for launching of a new Ukrainian naval ship. The "Ternopil" corvette class ship joins the country’s 40 ship strong fleet. On the same day Hrytsenko announced that the country's only submarine, the Zaporizhya, will be taken out of service.