Current Events in Europe

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt] Very impressive!

From RIA Novosti [excerpt]

From Flight Global [excerpt]

BBC News: Govt U-Turn over Fighter Planes BBC Reporting that the UK Government has now agreed to switch back to the F-35B variant of the JSF.

From RIA Novosti [excerpt] CV32: Just another day in Moscow ... And a link to an interesting story about what the 'pundits' are saying about these latest moves: Putin purging elites through Medvedev

Russia Today story

From RIA Novosti [excerpt]

From DefenseNews [excerpt] CV32: The first glimmer of something that has been rumoured for awhile now?

BBJ (h/t Alert 5)

From CBC News [excerpt]

Hi, I watched HMS Dauntless leave Portsmouth this morning heading for a 6 month deployment to the South Atlantic. Given all the Falklands rethoric recently there were a good many people seeing her off. One thing I did notice (attention Db Builders) was that Dauntless was not fitted with Phalanx. Daring deployed to the Gulf earlier this year did carry that CIWS. Obviously much confidence in the Sea Viper for SSM defence. I wonder is the omission financial or tactical? I suppose Phalanx might have been seen as a useful deterrent against Iranian speedboats/skiffs etc rather than as a last defence against leakers. Anyway, hoping Dauntless has a quiet and pe…

From Mer et Marine, and with implications in the DB: http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=119189 For now, six commanded frigates: F590 Carlo Bergamini: General purpose variant, shore bombardment. F591 Virginio Fasan: ASW variant. F592 Carlo Margottini: ASW variant. F593 Luigi Rizzo: ASW variant. F594 unnamed: ASW variant. F595 unnamed: General purpose variant, shore bombardment. Main differences: The main gun in the General purpose variant is a 127mm/64 OTO Melara LW. The main gun in the ASW variant is a 76mm/62 OTO Melara Super Rapid. (and another aft 76mm gun and 2x25mm/80 OTO Melara Oerlikon single guns in both variants, the French variant has on…

Writing with the Blackberry, is better to read the news report: http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=119157

Great pics of the new French FREMM frigate Aquitaine, inside and out, here and here.

BBC news story

This morning watched a three ship German naval group depart Portsmouth UK comprising frigates Emden and Hessen and the supply ship Frankfurt Am Main. One thing I noted was that the Emden had her Harpoon launchers removed. The support struts were there but not the tubes themselves. I guess this represents Germany following the lead of other countries in determining that SSM's are not required in the current environment.

From Ares A pic showing how similar the Rafale and Typhoon really are in size and planform ...

CV32: This portion in particular was interesting ... From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

From Flight Global [excerpt]

From Maritime News http://www.marinelink.com/news/constructio...gate342743.aspx The Yantar Shipyard in the Baltic area of Kaliningrad is to start the construction of a new Krivak IV class frigate for Russia's Black Sea Fleet.