Current Events in Europe

In the first deployment in Europe of the CVN-77 George H.W. Bush, the Spanish AEGIS frigate F-102 Juan de Borbon (the never-king father of Juan Carlos I) is integrated for a month in the CVN-77 CVBG (named GHWB Carrier Strike Group in this case): http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=116308 I remember it's not an unusual situation, that is not the first time a F-100 series frigate is integrated in a CVBG. Also, I constate the usual escort from a time ago in a CVBG is 2xCG Ticonderoga and 2xDDG Arleigh Burke, but see also: http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn77/Pa...sSquadrons.aspx

From the Air Forces Monthly September 2012 issue: Eight VC-10 tankers in RAF service, but two to be retired in September 2012 and three in March 2013, leaving the service with only three VC-10 tankers. And the Voyager K2/3 is in service, but only one plane, finishing his first training flight in April 2012, and ... only for transport and aeromedical roles, for tanker use we should wait to ... 2014

From http://www.janes.com/products/janes/defence-security-report.aspx?ID=1065971819 [excerpt]

It might be more accurate to call them "Ships of Battle" than Battleships RUSSIA TO GET NEW BATTLESHIPS Novosti MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Navy is set to acquire 10 to 20 new battleships by 2015 that will set it back 5 to 10 billion rubles per frigate, Biznes, a business daily, reported. The keels of a new frigate and a new large amphibious landing ship will be laid July 31 on Navy Day, said Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy. The new Mk 22350 multi-role and long-range frigate will conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, hitting other naval targets. It will take three or four years to complete o…

Naval base has 19 warships in mothballs and just 16 on active service By Stewart Payne (Filed: 13/06/2006) Telegraph For the first time since the 1982 Falklands conflict the number of warships at Portsmouth naval base on active service has dropped below the number decommissioned and awaiting disposal. The home of the Fleet has 19 redundant ships compared with 16 on active duty but in dock. Although these figures may be used as further proof of the scaling down of the Senior Service, the Royal Navy said the situation had only arisen because a further 27 ships were at sea. A spokesman said: "We like to keep our ships busy, and that is good value for the t…

RIA Novosti story

Russian Sub to Feature Advanced Quiet Propulsion by 2016 (RIA Novosti)

Russian Navy receives first Ka-52KM naval helicopter (Jane's)

From RIA Novosti Russian Navy to receive Severodvinsk nuclear submarine in 2010 18:08 | 19/ 11/ 2008 SEVERODVINSK, November 19 (RIA Novosti) - A new nuclear-powered attack submarine will be delivered to the Russian Navy in 2010, a Russian shipyard said on Wednesday. Severodvinsk is the first Project 855 Yasen (Graney) series of the Severodvinsk class nuclear submarines, combining the ability to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles) with nuclear warheads, and effectively engage hostile submarines and surface warships. "There are no problems with the construction of the submarine, and financing is underway. The vessel will be de…

From Ares Blog Scalp Naval Starts Flight Trials Posted by Robert Wall at 6/15/2010 7:26 AM CDT France has begun flight trials of the MBDA Scalp Naval sea-launched cruise missile. The test firing of the MdCN (missile de croisiere naval), as the Scalp Naval is formally known by its customer, the French armaments agency DGA, took place at France’s missile range at Biscarrosse on May 28, but DGA only announced the event June 15. The missile was fired from a vertical launcher which would be used for the operational application on the Fremm multipurpose frigate and the Barracuda submarine. France is looking to field 150 Scalp Navals on Fremm frigates s…

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

Russia's Su-34 fleet found to have serious defects (Flight Global's DEW Line blog)

STRATFOR article

S-400 Air Defense Regiment Takes up Duty in Russia's South Solidifying the grip on Crimea, no doubt.

From Defence Talk Britain feared US would 'nuke' Afghanistan: ex-diplomat Agence France-Presse | Jun 18, 2007 Britain joined the United States' invasion to oust the Taliban in 2001 because it feared America would "nuke the shit" out of Afghanistan, the former British ambassador to Washington reportedly told a television documentary to be screened Saturday. In comments printed in advance in the Daily Mirror tabloid on Monday, Christopher Meyer said that fear explained why Prime Minister Tony Blair chose to stand with US President George W. Bush in his decision to invade Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks -- to te…

From DefenseNews Norway Chooses F-35 To Replace F-16s AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 20 Nov 11:50 EST (16:50 GMT) OSLO - Norway has agreed on a multi-billion euro deal to buy jet fighters from the U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin, the government announced Nov. 20. Norway chose to order an unspecified number of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) plane, also known as the F-35, instead of the Swedish-built Gripen jet, which was also under consideration. "The JSF is the only one of the two candidates to fulfill the operational requirements that the government set out for Norway's new fighter planes," a government statement said. The JSF order cost six bill…

Ukraine To Scrap Cruiser, Buy New Vessels (DefenseNews) The cruiser is the Project 1164 Atlant (NATO Slava) class guided missile cruiser Ukrayina (ex Lobov).

Russia to modernize Akula class attack submarines (RIA Novosti)

This has been rumored for a while ... From Jane's Russia plans reactivation of two Kirov-class cruisers By Vladimir Petrov 11 November 2009 The Russian Federation Navy (RFN) is to reactivate two laid-up Kirov-class (Project 1144) battle cruisers, according to statements attributed by Russian media to the country's deputy defence minister. Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin reportedly said that the Ministry of Defence has decided to renovate and modernise its heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser (tiazhyeliy atomniy raketniy kreiser/TARK) units Admiral Lazarev (ex- Frunze ) and Admiral Nakhimov (ex- Kalinin ). The 24,300-ton ships were commissioned int…

From Defense Aerospace Press Release (Source: Romanian Ministry of Defence; issued March 24, 2010) (Issued in Romanian only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com) National Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea presented, during the meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) held on March 23, 2010, a statement on the Multirole Aircraft Program of the Romanian Air Force. Given that Romania does not have the financial resources necessary for the acquisition of new multirole aircraft, CSAT has approved the Defence Ministry’s proposal to acquire 24 used F-16 aircraft. The proposal will be submitted for discussion and approval by the Romanian Pa…