Current Events in Europe

From Aviation Week, Ares blog

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

Polish Navy decommissions last Tarantul corvettes (Jane's)

RIA Novosti story

The Borey class SSBN, proyect 955, can be cancelled after the first three units, the launching of the fourth class boat is now cancelled. Also, the launching of her new SLBM RS 30 Bulava (SS-NX-30) has failed 8 of 12 launching attempts. Also the Yaseni class SSGN, proyect 885, is failing her in service dates, none in service nor launched with the keel of the first laid-up in 1993. Also the Lada class SS, launched in 2004 and not yet in service: http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=111985 (in French, some interesting photos).

From eDefense Production of Russian Su-34 Relaunched by Michal Fiszer Apr. 5, 2005 Serial production of the Su-34 has begun, according to the general director of the Novosibirsk Aviation Company (NAPO) (Novosibirsk, Russia), which is part of Sukhoi consortium. Officially, the first serial Su-34 flew on Dec. 20, 2003, but production of subsequent aircraft ended immediately thereafter. According to Russian Air Force plans from 2003, 10 production Su-34 aircraft were to be delivered by the end of 2005. But in a March 31, 2005, announcement, general director Aleksandr Bobryshev Bobryshev revised the projection to five aircraft to be delivered to the Russian Air …

Improved Russian Nuclear Attack Submarine Kazan to Deliver in 2016 (USNI Blog)

From DefenseNews [excerpt]

Putin Orders Surprise Black Sea Military Exercises (DefenseNews)

From BBC News Russian President Vladimir Putin has sacked the head of the navy, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, a month after a mini-submarine accident. Seven Russian sailors who were trapped in the vessel in the Pacific had to be rescued with help from abroad. The crew, facing dwindling air supplies, were saved after three days. Mr Putin did not give any reason for Mr Kuroyedov's dismissal. He named Mr Kuroyedov's deputy, Admiral Vladimir Masorin, as his replacement. Mr Putin said that since Mr Kuroyedov had taken office in 1997, there had been progress in restoring "a significant part of the navy" and planning its development. But he added that in th…

And Daily Mail "unveils" a "great" Russian technical "achivement" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3150228/Russian-air-force-puts-strength-amazing-aerial-stunts-including-helicopters-jets-parachutists-airshow.html

This report from RIA Novosti was interesting. [excerpt] Yesterday it was reported that Medvedev and Putin were to decide which would run for the presidential seat. One wonders if the two are drifting apart, especially in light of their knocking heads over Libya, and the implications.

Great stuff (especially from a Harpoon DB perspective) on the Royal Navy's planned Type 26 frigate: Q&A with BAE Systems on Type 26 Frigate Design Update at Euronaval 2012 (Navy Recognition) Type 26 changes again (UK Armed Forces Commentary blog) Type 26 Frigate - Global Combat Ship (Navy Recognition)

More scenario ideas here, with USMC and F-35B on HMS Queen Elizabeth, also notional air wings: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/36359/u-s-marine-corps-f-35bs-are-about-to-go-aboard-a-british-carrier-and-they-might-be-there-to-stay

From Aviation Week R-77, R-73 Missile Upgrades Emerge Aug 13, 2009 Douglas Barrie/London Maxim Pyadushkin/Moscow Russia's leading guided-weapons manufacturer will wheel out revised--if long- touted--versions of its two key air-to-air missile products this month, as it tries to bolster its position in the export arena. Tactical Missile Corp.--also known as TRV--will formally unveil its so-called RVV-SD and RVV-MD missiles for the first time at the Moscow air show later this month. The RVV-SD is an improved version of the R-77 (AA-Adder), while the RVV-MD is a variant of the R-73 (AA-11 Archer). The radar-guided R-77 has been sold widely, with China and I…

UK re-forms 617 Sqn for F-35B era (Flight Global)

From DefenseNews RAF Accepts 1st Nimrod MRA4 By andrew chuter Published: 11 Mar 2010 14:12 LONDON - The first BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 maritime surveillance aircraft destined for the Royal Air Force has been formally accepted and declared ready for crew training by Britain's Ministry of Defence. The aircraft is the first of nine MRA4s ordered to fulfill maritime and wider intelligence surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance roles for the air force here. Handover of the first production aircraft may have taken place but it will be 2012 before the machine is introduced into service following a decision by the government late last year to delay i…

From Jane's RAF's Harrier fleet may face early retirement By Tim Ripley 09 December 2008 The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is discussing plans to withdraw the entire Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Air Force (RAF) Harrier GR.9 fleet from service in less than five years, in an attempt to save more than GBP1 billion (USD1.5 billion), Jane's has learned. The discussions come as budget planners finalise their efforts to reconcile the MoD's equipment programme and force structure with limited available funding. Jane's understands that the ministry's defence board reviewed the proposals at its meeting in the last week of November, after senior RN officers had objecte…

From Flight International DATE:25/04/07 SOURCE:Flightglobal.com UK Royal Air Force to end Sepecat Jaguar use next week By Craig Hoyle UK operations of the Sepecat Jaguar are to end far sooner than expected, with the Royal Air Force revealing that training activities with the type are to stop on 30 April. The Jaguar will be formally retired from service on 25 May, several months earlier than previously expected, and all flying will cease by the end of next month. In an unusually public act, the boss of the RAF’s last frontline unit to fly the type announced the news yesterday on the pprune.org website frequented by military pilots. “I have announced to the m…

From Defense Aerospace Lord Drayson Announces Financial Solution for New RAF Tanker and Transport Aircraft Programme (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued June 6, 2007) The Royal Air Force will have total operational control of 14 Airbus A330-200 tanker aircraft, which will be owned and supported by AirTanker Ltd. (AirTanker artist’s impression) Defence Minister Lord Drayson has announced today, 6 June 2007, that the Government has approved a PFI solution as the most cost-effective way of replacing the RAF's fleet of VC10 and TriStar aircraft. The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) PFI deal, as it is known, has been made with AirTanker Ltd., Lord Dr…