Current Events in Europe

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…

Navy to commission missile defense base in Romania (Stars and Stripes)

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

From Defense Aerospace Department of Defense and Netherlands Sign Next Stage Joint Strike Fighter Agreement (Source: US Department of Defense; issued Nov. 14, 2006) Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and the Netherlands Deputy Secretary for Defence Cees van der Knaap signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to begin future cooperation in the Production, Sustainment, and Follow-On Development (PSFD) phase of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program. The Dutch, who are already contributing $800 million to the JSF Program’s development phase, plan to buy 85 conventional take-off and landing variants of the Joint Strike Fighter during the producti…

From Mer et Marine (in French, but with a lot of photos): http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/le-drone-neuron-prend-son-envol

From Jane's [excerpt]

New Danish Ship Can Fight Far From Home By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS, ABOARD HDMS ABSALON eDefenseNews At first glance, Denmark’s new warship — Absalon — looks like a standard, modern frigate. But discerning naval eyes will notice the “L” pennant number on the ship’s high, stealthy hull, rather than the “F” that denotes frigates in NATO’s standard system. L usually marks an amphibious ship. The designation hints at the multiple roles intended for the Danish Navy’s Flexible Support Ships, a new concept that incorporates command-and-control systems for joint international force commanders, cargo bays for armored and military vehicles, a flight deck for large helicopt…

Euronaval 2022: Latest PANG Aircraft Carrier Design Breaks Cover (Naval News)

From Defence Aerospace "U 32" Submarine Leaves the Nordseewerke Shipyard For Final Tests (Source: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems; issued April 22, 2005) HAMBURG, Germany --- The "U32" submarine left the shipyard in Emden on 20th April 2005 for its final sea-testing phase. Extensive tests will be carried out until July 2005 in the deep water on the South Norwegian coast (Skagerrak) and in different shallow water regions of the Baltic Sea. After the tests have been completed, the "U32" will be handed over to the German Navy in July 2005 as scheduled. The overall order comprises of a total of four units of the submarine class 212A, which are being collectiv…

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.

Dutch and Belgian M class frigates (Karel Doorman) are receiving new squared mast with Seastar/Sea Watcher 100 four faces radar with some 40 Km range, for continuous detection of small naval sea crafts in asymetrical confrontations, also they will receive Gatekeeper new LLTV and IR sensors (in French): http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/un-nouveau-mat-pour-la-fregate-belge-leopold-ier

Here's a great geo-political situation for those interested in creating new scenarios. New Protectors for Iceland By GERARD O’DWYER, HELSINKI DefenseNews Norway and Denmark have signed separate defense cooperation agreements with Iceland that provide cover for the North Atlantic island’s land, national airspace and sea defenses in peacetime. The two pacts, signed April 27, fill the void left by the September 2006 withdrawal of U.S. troops and F-18 fighters from Iceland, which has no military. Iceland signed with Norway a broad-ranging memorandum of understanding (MoU) on peacetime security policy cooperation. Iceland’s security needs will remain covered by i…

From Aviation Week Russia Trumpets Conventional ''Nuke,'' With More Smoke Than Fire Sep 20, 2007 By David A. Fulghum, Amy Butler and Douglas Barrie Video of Russia's "Father of All Bombs" suggests that the design doesn't quite meet Moscow's claims of being the equivalent of a nuclear weapon without the radiation, nor that it was dropped from a high-speed bomber. And while Russia is showcasing its massive new conventional bomb, the United States is continuing its focus on developing smaller weapons that create less collateral damage. The weapon appears to be considerably more powerful than the U.S. built MOAB, but without the flexibility of launch from a fast…

From RIA Novosti Russia's Yury Dolgoruky submarine to start sea trials in spring 18:52 | 11/ 02/ 2009 MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) - Sea trials of Russia's first Borey-class strategic nuclear submarine will start in the spring when navigation opens in the White Sea, Russia's Navy commander said on Wednesday. The fourth-generation Yury Dolgoruky was built at the Sevmash plant in northern Russia and was taken out of dry dock in April 2007. It will be equipped with sea-based Bulava ballistic missiles, although they have not entered service and are due to undergo further testing this year. "The ice floe conditions in the White Sea at present are still no…

From Mer et Marine (in French). All the designs awesome, but sometimes condictioned by the general lines of LCS or DDG-1000. F-110, of some 5000 tns, and F-111, of some 4000 tns. http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/les-etudes-se-poursuivent-sur-la-future-fregate-espagnole

From Norwegian Ministry of Defence Excerpt from the Summary: "This Strategic Concept states the political basis for the operational activities of the Norwegian Armed Forces (NAF) in the field of security and defence policies. In doing so, it serves the role as strategic level political guidance. The document, thus, provides the political basis for the development of NAF doctrines and the NAF's operational activities." More at the link above.

From DefenseNews Posted 10/25/06 13:23 Russian Missile Explodes After Test Launch By DMITRY SOLOVYOV, REUTERS, MOSCOW Russia’s newest intercontinental ballistic missile, which military sources said was successfully tested on Oct. 25, actually fell into the sea several minutes into its flight, Russia’s navy said. The failed test comes after the latest series of mishaps at Russia’s navy, once the focus of national pride and symbol of its military might. Navy sources told local news agencies earlier on Oct. 25 that the Bulava missile had been launched from a nuclear submarine in the White Sea and flew nearly the length of the giant nation to the Kura military tes…

From Flight International DATE: 07/08/07 SOURCE: Flight International BAE Nimrod MRA4 reconnaissance aircraft passes torpedo drop test By Dan Thisdell BAE Systems' Nimrod MRA4 has successfully released the Sting Ray torpedo for the first time, during the 75th flight of development aircraft PA02. The MRA4's stores release system is a radical redesign compared with that of the Nimrod MR2, to ensure weapons are programmed and released correctly. The MRA4 has the potential to carry an extensive range of weapons and equipment in the bomb bay including the Sting Ray, a fully programmable lightweight anti-submarine torpedo that can detect and track a target using i…

From Flight International DATE: 10/06/08 SOURCE: Flight International The Great Survivor By Craig Hoyle The latest version of the RAF’s Nimrod – over budget and 13 years late – prompted a political crisis. Can the troubled programme finally deliver on its promises? BAE Systems expects to conclude flight test activities on its three Nimrod MRA4 development aircraft late this year, but is still seeking a commitment from the UK Ministry of Defence to fund their conversion to the full production configuration. Nine MRA4s are under contract for the Royal Air Force, with the MoD having signed a deal for the surveillance aircraft plus an option for three re…

From http:/www.defence-aerospace.com NATO Forces Gather in the Mediterranean for the World’s Largest Annual Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise Source: NATO; issued Feb. 25, 2005 Ten NATO nations will provide six submarines, ten maritime patrol aircraft and 16 surface ships to take part in NOBLE MARLIN 05 (NM 05), the world’s largest anti-submarine Warfare (ASW) exercise from 03 to 16 March 2005. The exercise will take place in the Ionian Sea to the Southeast of Sicily. Forces are provided by Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Six submarines from France (1), Germany (1), Gr…