Current Events in Europe

Massive Blaze On Russian Nuclear Submarine

From From DefenseNews Charles de Gaulle Carrier Completes Major Overhaul By pierre tran Published: 5 Dec 10:29 EST (15:29 GMT) Paris - A 15-month, 300 million euro ($381 million) refit and upgrade of the Charles de Gaulle nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was completed on time and on budget Dec. 1, prime contractor DCNS said in a statement. The major overhaul allowed the refurbishment of the ship and its systems, DCNS said in a Dec. 5 statement. The work included refueling the nuclear reactors, upgrading command and communications systems, and preparing the ship to receive the F3 standard of the Rafale fighter, which will be able to carry the ASMP-A nuclear m…

From Aviation Week ARES Blog NATO's Defense Spending in Real Terms Posted by Joris Janssen Lok at 1/10/2008 4:23 AM The figures on NATO nations' 2007 defense expenditures, released by NATO, show dramatic differences in how much each nation contributes to the North Atlantic Alliance (see also related post). In real terms, current prices and current U.S. dollar/local currency exchange rates, NATO's 26 countries in 2007 spent this on defense: U.S.: $545.3 billion, that's roughly $45,500 per head of the population. Figure out for yourself what kind of car you can buy for that kind of money. U.S. military personnel number more than 1.3 million. U.K.: $63.…

Who could blame it? From Flight International Victor bomber accidentally becomes airborne during taxi demo By David Kaminski-Morrow UK air accident specialists are not intending to investigate an unusual incident at an air show during which a Handley Page Victor bomber unexpectedly became airborne during a high-speed taxi demonstration. The incident occurred during the Cold War Jets Open Day at the Bruntingthorpe airfield, south of Leicester, the scene of the recent restoration to flight of an Avro Vulcan. Bruntingthorpe's Victor, XM715, had been participating in the 3 May event when it became briefly airborne, apparently reaching a height - based o…

It's looking more and more like a Hung Parliament...

Who else can understand or appreciate the Russian opposition to Europe based missile defense?

From Defense Aerospace Christening of the K130 Class Corvette ERFURT in Emden: A New Benchmark In Corvette Building (Source: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems; issued March 30, 2007) The German Navy’s third K130 corvette, Erfurt, was launched and christened at Emden on March 29. (TKMS photo) On March 29, 2007, a new corvette belonging to the new class K130 was launched and christened ERFURT in the presence of high-ranking guests from the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement, the German Navy and industry. The wife of the Lord Mayor of the town of Erfurt, Sysann Bausewein performed the launch, which took place at Th…

From Aviation Week Dutch Refuse To Consider Super Hornet Jul 2, 2008 By Joris Janssen Lok The Netherlands defense ministry refuses to include Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in an evaluation of potential candidates for its next-generation fighter requirement. Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor also will not be considered, despite a direct request from the country's Parliament to include both U.S. fighters in an evaluation of potential alternatives to the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The Dutch appeared to be firmly committed to the F-35A ever since they joined the JSF System Development & Demonstration program as a Level 2 partner in 2…

Air Power Australia (APA) has released its assessment of the Sukhoi PAK-FA. Assessing the Sukhoi PAK-FA

From Defense Aerospace Bear Sightings Are Reported At Farnborough as the A400M Receives Its Formal Name (Source: Airbus: issued July 19, 2010) Airbus Military’s A400M literally put its mark on the 2010 Farnborough International Airshow today as this new airlifter was formally named “Grizzly” during its debut appearance in the UK – which is one of the customer countries for the multi-role aircraft. As part of the naming process, simulated paw prints of a grizzly bear were placed around the show grounds at Farnborough, creating a “buzz” in advance of this afternoon’s A400M planeside naming ceremony. Ed Strongman, Airbus Military’s A400M chief test pilot, sa…

Some photos of the SSN HMS Astute on sea trials. Is the first new submarine for delivery to Royal Navy after the SSBN HMS Vengeance in 1999 http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=111628 http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=111686 (in French)

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…

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 Jane's Gabler, WTD 71 lift lid on SDV demonstrator By Richard Scott 16 June 2010 Sea Devil's telescopic casing extends from 3.4 m (stowed) to 5 m (operational) in length. The torpedo tube of a Type 212A submarine will accommodate two vehicles. (IHS Jane's/Charles Hollos) Germany's Gabler Maschinenbau has unveiled a compact submarine-compatible swimmer delivery vehicle (SDV) prototype developed in conjunction with the Bundeswehr Technical Centre for Ships and Naval Weapons (WTD 71). Designed for stowage in a standard 533 mm torpedo tube, Gabler's two-person SDV concept – dubbed Sea Devil – has emerged from a technology demonstrator project begun…

By the year 2025 Russia plans to increase its ocean going fleet size to a total of 300 battleships, exceeding the level it maintained during the 'cold war'. The Russian Navy plans to maintain six battlegroups, each consisting of an aircraft carrier and various combat support and auxiliary ships. Three attack groups are to be based in the Northern Fleet with three others in the Pacific Fleet. This expansion will address Russia's strategic aspirations especially its territorial demands in the melting arctic zone. According to the Russian Fleet’s Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Vladimir Masorin, three attack groups will be based in the Northern Fleet with three others in th…

From Portsmouth News [excerpt]

First images of FF Aquitaine (near 6.000 tons), first ship of a new series, literally unveiled in presence of the french president Nicolas Sarkozy (in french): http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=113073

From Defense Aerospace MoD Signs £3 Billion Contracts for Aircraft Carriers (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued July 3, 2008) The MoD today signed contracts with industry to build the two future aircraft carriers. The contracts, worth in the region of £3 billion, were signed with the newly-formed UK maritime Joint Venture, BVT Surface Fleet, and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance onboard HMS Ark Royal, one of the Royal Navy's existing aircraft carriers and currently the Fleet Flagship. Contracts authorised today encompass work worth: -- £1,325M for the construction of giant sections of both ships by BVT Surface Fleet at Govan on the Clyde and Portsmouth; …

From Aviation Week's Ares blog There's something very cool about an Apache operating in a maritime environment: So who's going to put together a 'pirate hunter' scenario using sea borne Apaches and the Middle East or South Africa battleset? Get crackin!