Current Events in Europe

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

From Defense Aerospace HMS Dauntless Commissioned Into Fleet (Source: U.K Ministry of Defence; issued June 3, 2010) HMS Dauntless, the second of the Royal Navy's new, formidable Type 45 destroyers, was formally commissioned into the fleet today, Thursday 3 June 2010. Hundreds of guests including families of the 190-strong ship's company attended the colourful 'christening' ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base. Principal guests were Lady Mary Burnell-Nugent, the ship's sponsor who launched the ship at BAE Systems' Govan shipyard in Glasgow in January 2007, and Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Admiral Sir Trevor Soar. The ceremony was conducted by the Venerable J…

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

From RIA Novosti What is the future for Russia's submarine fleet? 18:43 | 01/ 10/ 2008 MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik) - Dmitry Medvedev's remarks that Russia is resuming production of nuclear submarines for its Navy have been widely commented on. The country's submarine fleet is in critical condition and calls for renewal. The president's words raise hopes for an early change. Submarines play a special role in Russia's Navy. In the late 1950s, following the death of Josef Stalin, the new Soviet leaders opted for a nuclear missile equipped submarine fleet, and now it forms the core of the Navy's might. A drastic cut in the number o…

Aerotechnica upgrades 'Guideline' for an unidentified customer (Jane's) Talk about recycling.

Polish Navy decommissions last Tarantul corvettes (Jane's)

From eDefense AMRAAM Proposed for SA-6 Launchers by Michal Fiszer Apr. 8, 2005 Raytheon International (Brussels, Belgium) earlier this year unveiled a proposal to equip Polish Kub (SA-6) systems (see "Russia's Roving SAMs") with SL-AMRAAM missiles, based on the AIM-120C-5 standard, which had already been purchased by Poland for its F-16 aircraft. The proposal is connected to a Polish Kub modernization program, conducted by Wojskowe Zaklady Uzbrojenia nr 2 (WZU-2, Grudziadz, Poland). Poland launched an earlier Kub modernization program in 1997. The effort resulted in an improved 1S91M2-P1 fire-control radar, replacement of vacuum tubes with solid-state circui…

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…

Russia developing Shtorm supercarrier (Jane's) Maybe not in our lifetime.

From Ares blog [excerpt]

Russian destroyer design revealed (Jane's)

Aegis Ashore Site in Romania Declared Operational (USNI News)

Russian bombers to be armed with new Kh-50 theatre-level cruise missile (Jane's)

Of interest: https://www.navylookout.com/the-factors-shaping-the-future-royal-navy-surface-fleet/

Underwater hide-and-seek Deeper sections of the Baltic in the Archipelago Sea offer an excellent hideout for foreign navy submarines HELSINGIN SANOMAT By Tommi Nieminen The Finnish Navy's Rauma-class fast attack craft Porvoo picks up a Helsingin Sanomat journalist and photographer from a small jetty tucked away in Lappohja, not far from Hanko. It feels a little strange, to be honest, that this compact Navy warship is able to use a little marina like this. Just next door there are a couple of dozen small boats on a sandy beach, still face down in their winter hibernation. The freighter Metallica is tied up at the quay attached to the local steelworks…

From http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20121011/176553800.html [excerpt] So a Project 627A (NATO November) and the Project 645 will be salvaged, but (unsurprisingly) not the Project 685 (NATO Mike).

From Russian Military Reform blog English version available at the link. [excerpt]

Greece Rethinks Eurofighter Deal By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ATHENS Originally posted to DefenceNews Greece is reconsidering a project by the former Socialist government to buy 60 Eurofighter jets for its air force, the defense ministry said here on April 9. As both the Greek prime minister and defense minister are due to visit the United States in the coming weeks, the press here is speculating the government may choose the U.S. F-16 instead. “The government has so far made no decision concerning the choice of company from which to buy the fourth generation jets. All options remain open,” defense ministry spokesman Stephanos Guikas told AFP. “A d…

From Defense Aerospace New Milestone for France’s Fourth New-Generation Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine: DCNS Rolls Out SSBN Le Terrible (Source: DCNS; issued March 21, 2008) CHERBOURG, France --- Today, DCNS rolled out SSBN Le Terrible, the fourth and last Le Triomphant-class new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine at a ceremony attended by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Over 3,000 people witnessed the roll-out at DCNS’s Cherbourg shipyard, the home of excellence in French submarine construction for over 100 years. SSBN Le Terrible is the fourth and last boat of the Le Triomphant class which is progressively replacing the …

From DefenseNews [excerpt]