Current Events in Europe

BBC News article Key Harpoon relevant points: UK to order 9 P-8 Poseidons to replaced scrapped Nimrod fleet Fewer Type 26 frigates OSD for Typhoons extended to 2040, new ground attack capabilities and what sounds like AESA radar 138 F-35Bs, 24 by 2023 (up from 8 originally) 'Successor' sub i.e. Vanguard SSBN replacement cost to go up to £30bn

Russia's PAKFAs to be transferred to Aerospace Forces later this year (Jane's)

From Stratfor The BMD Decision and the Global System By George Friedman | September 21, 2009 The United States announced late Sept. 17 that it would abandon a plan for placing ballistic missile defense (BMD) installations in Poland and the Czech Republic. Instead of the planned system, which was intended to defend primarily against a potential crude intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) threat from Iran against the United States, the administration chose a restructured system that will begin by providing some protection to Europe using U.S. Navy ships based on either the North or Mediterranean seas. The Obama administration has argued that this system will be…

Russia developing new aircraft carrier MOSCOW. May 15 (Interfax) - The Russian Navy is launching a project to develop a new aircraft carrier, the navy's commander Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov told Interfax. "We are beginning work to develop a new aircraft carrier in 2005. Construction is to begin after 2010," Kuroyedov said. "We are launching this development project and will involve leading experts to find out which materials and weapons we'll need and how many aircraft carriers should be built," he said. Kuroyedov earlier told journalists that the navy is planning to put the new carrier into service in the Northern Fleet by 2016-17. Another carrier will…

Why Russia is Retiring Its Akula Strategic Nuclear Subs (Sputnik)

From Defense Aerospace Astor Gears Up For Takeoff (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Dec. 1, 2008) The MoD has today declared the technologically advanced ASTOR (Airborne Stand-Off Radar) in service with the RAF, on the Sentinel R1 aircraft. The new radar system will be operated by the RAF's Number 5 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire providing a new all-weather intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capability to assist commanders on the battlefield. Operating at altitudes in excess of 40,000ft, for over 9 hours at a time, the aircraft is capable of detecting and recognising moving, static…

From Defense Aerospace Successful Test Firings for Three PAAMS Program Partners (Source: French Ministry of Defence; issued June 28, 2010) (Issued in French only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com) On Thursday June 17, 2010, Direction Generale de l’Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, successfully carried out the test firing of two Aster 30 missiles from the Royal Navy barge Longbow. The barge was operated from the DGA Missile Test Range at Ile du Levant (Var district) on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence. Carried out as part of the French-Italian-British Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) program, these firings were…

Typhoon Arises Eurofighter's plane finally comes in by Michal Fiszer Sep. 15, 2005 eDefense The Eurofighter Typhoon is finally reaching full operational service, with its Tranche 1 aircraft due to be delivered to customers by the end of this year. The Eurofighter program is one of the major European defense efforts and can be compared to the US F/A-22. Both aircraft have their roots in the Cold War, and both were initially developed with a focus on the air-to-air role. The Eurofighter Typhoon has been widely criticized in the press around the world. The program was cited for its long development cycle and high cost. But it must be remembered that state-of-the-…

There's a Harpoon Classic scenario depicting a very similar mine clearance operation. Check it out on StrategyZoneOnline archives: MCMForceNorth.

German Navy Pursues Sub-Launched Missile By MARTIN AGÜERA, MUNICH DefenseNews In the next legislative term, the German Navy hopes to revive an effort to develop a submarine-launched missile that may ignite a multinational development and marketing effort, said officials and industry executives. The weapon would be intended to work against anti-submarine warfare helicopters, small surface and littoral targets, industry officials said. Last year, the German military’s central procurement agency, the BWB in Koblenz, began to explore the idea through a working group dubbed IDAS, for Interactive Defense & Attack System for Submarines. The group is compose…

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

Navy set to keep 30-year-old ships in service over £3.6bn carrier delays JAMES KIRKUP POLITICAL EDITOR (jkirkup@scotsman.com) Scotsman.com THE Royal Navy could be forced to delay the retirement of Britain's ageing aircraft carriers because of delays in the programme to order replacement vessels, the Ministry of Defence has admitted. The decision would mean the mainstay of Britain's naval power in the next decade will be two ships which are both more than 30 years old. The prospect of prolonging the life of HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal will only heighten concerns about the state of the Royal Navy. Commanders led by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jon…

From Air Force Times Air Force mum on nuclear bombs at Ramstein Inspection list indicates weapons were removed By Bryant Jordan - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 19:38:03 EDT Maybe they’re gone or maybe they’re not. Officials with U.S. Air Forces Europe simply will not say whether the Air Force removed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, up to 90 nuclear bombs, as was reported July 9 by the Federation of American Scientists. “On issues associated with nuclear weapons, we follow the longstanding Air Force policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence or absence of nuclear weapons at any specific location,” Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jess…

From Defense Aerospace Go-Ahead for the Development of the Euro Hawk; Development Contract Signed After Approval of the German Budget Committee (Source: EADS Military Air Systems; issued Feb. 1, 2007) Germany’s EuroHawk will consist of an EADS-developed sensor suite fitted to a Global Hawk unmanned aircraft. (Northrop Grumman photo) MUNICH --- The German Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a EUR 430 million contract to EuroHawk GmbH, a joint venture company formed by EADS and Northrop Grumman Corporation, for the development, test and support of the Euro Hawk unmanned signals intelligence (SIGINT) surveillance and reconnaissance system. The Euro Hawk Unm…

From DefenseNews Posted 01/15/07 11:24 Austria’s New Defense Minister Wants To Drop Eurofighter Contract By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, VIENNA Austria’s new defense minister, Norbert Darabos, in an interview appearing here Friday, said he remained determined to drop a contract signed by the former government to purchase 18 Eurofighter jets. “The objective is still to pull out of the Eurofighter contract. The costs are simply too high,” the Social Democrat minister told the daily newspaper Oesterreich. But he added: “I cannot say yet whether a pull-out is financially feasible.” Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, also a Social Democrat, made a campaign pledge to scrap the…

From DefenseNews NATO Chief Says Door Open to Ukraine By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, TOKYO NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said April 4 that the trans-Atlantic alliance had “an open door policy” for Ukraine, where pro-Western reformers toppled the pro-Russian regime last year. “If Ukraine has this ambition, my answer is NATO has an open door policy,” De Hoop Scheffer told a press conference in Japan, the final destination in a nine-day tour that also took him to Australia and New Zealand. “If Ukraine voices ambition to become a NATO member, NATO would take that ambition very seriously,” he said. “NATO is a performance-based organization. Ukraine is…

A short and very interesting article about the situation of Marine Nationale in 1939 and her motivations, at the start of WWII (in French): http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=112023

Meteor at last in service first time, in the Swedish Air Force from 11 July 2016 (in Brazilian Portuguese): http://www.aereo.jor.br/2016/07/11/missil-meteor-da-mbda-entra-em-servico-no-gripen-da-forca-aerea-sueca/

From Defense Aerospace UK Completes Successful Test Launch of Trident Missile (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Oct. 11, 2005) The first of the UK's Trident submarines, HMS Vanguard, part of the UK's nuclear deterrent, successfully launched an unarmed Trident II D5 ballistic missile during a naval exercise in the Atlantic Ocean on 10 October 2005. HMS Vanguard has recently completed a period of routine maintenance. This test launch is the final part of trials prior to her return to operational service. Admiral Sir Alan West, the First Sea Lord, who was on HMS Vanguard as an observer during the exercise, said: "I am pleased to report that HMS Van…

From DefenseNews Finland Accuses Russia of Numerous Airspace Violations By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, HELSINKI Russia has repeatedly violated neighboring Finland’s airspace despite official protests from Helsinki, the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs said May 20. Russian military planes flying to or from Kaliningrad, situated on the Baltic Sea near the Polish border, have illegally entered Finnish airspace on numerous occasions over recent months, the ministry claimed. “Violations have continued despite the fact that Russian authorities have been approached and a cessation of violations has been demanded,” the ministry said in a statement. At least 10 …