Current Events in Europe

From Jane's RN launches first Type 45 destroyer By Katy Glassborow, JNI Reporter The first-of-class of the UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) Type 45 anti-air warfare (AAW) destroyers, HMS Daring, was launched today at the BAE Systems shipyard at Scotstoun on the Clyde, Scotland. When the eight planned destroyers begin to enter service in 2009, they will provide the RN with an advanced AAW capability, particularly pertinent as the service is phasing out its FA.2 Sea Harriers this year. As such, the Type 45’s will provide a much needed air-defence capability against missiles and enemy aircraft, using such technology as the Sampson radar. Slippage of the original i…

From DefenseNews Chirac Warns Would-be Attackers France Could Respond With Nukes By PIERRE TRAN, PARIS President Jacques Chirac extended France’s nuclear doctrine Jan. 19 with a warning that states considering using terrorist attacks or weapons of mass destruction run the risk of a nuclear retaliation. “Leaders of states which might resort to terrorist methods against us, just as those envisaging to use, in one way or another, weapons of mass destruction, should understand they expose themselves to a firm and proportionate response on our part,” Chirac said in a keynote speech on a visit to Le Vigilent, the most modern of France’s nuclear ballistic missile su…

From DefenseNews Chirac Warns Would-be Attackers France Could Respond With Nukes By PIERRE TRAN, PARIS President Jacques Chirac extended France’s nuclear doctrine Jan. 19 with a warning that states considering using terrorist attacks or weapons of mass destruction run the risk of a nuclear retaliation. “Leaders of states which might resort to terrorist methods against us, just as those envisaging to use, in one way or another, weapons of mass destruction, should understand they expose themselves to a firm and proportionate response on our part,” Chirac said in a keynote speech on a visit to Le Vigilent, the most modern of France’s nuclear ballistic missile su…

From Defense Aerospace UK Astor Radar Goes “Live”, Delivers Quality Target Imagery (Source: Raytheon Systems Ltd.; issued Jan. 10, 2006) LONDON --- The flight test programme for the U.K. Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) programme is progressing well in the U.S. and the U.K. As of December, 2005, a/c #1 (based in Greenville, Texas) was well into its series of check flights while in the U.K. a/c #2 had completed its first phase of flight testing. According to the test team, the DMR in a/c #1 was producing good quality imagery on only its second operational check flight. Successful system connectivity was demonstrated on the first attempt with virtual end-to-e…

Sub commander 'bullied crew' on secret mission By Michael Evans, Defence Editor TimesOnline.com THE commanding officer of a Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine has been charged with bullying members of his crew while engaged in a highly sensitive secret mission. Captain Robert Kenneth Tarrant is due to appear before a court martial in Portsmouth on Monday but the details of the case are considered by the Ministry of Defence to be so sensitive that the trial may be held partly in camera. According to military legal sources, Judge Jack Bayliss, the Judge Advocate who is to take the case, has indicated that the whole trial may have to be held in secret. Und…

Fort Worth Star-Telegram December 13, 2005 Greece Buying 30 More Lockheed-Made F-16s By Bob Cox, Star-Telegram Staff Writer Greece has reached agreement with the U.S. government to buy 30 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. with an option to purchase an additional 10 aircraft. The sale, which is contingent on Greece and Lockheed signing the contract, would extend F-16 production and hundreds of jobs at Lockheed’s Fort Worth plant through 2009. But it won’t save the jobs of hundreds of other F-16 workers due to be laid off in 2006. Greece's order comes just in the nick of time for Lockheed, which had said it needed a firm sale befor…

Maybe the premise behind Red Storm Rising isn't so far fetched, after all. Now, how can we work this into a scenario..... CIA slipped bugs to Soviets Memoir recounts Cold War technological sabotage MORE ON WASHINGTONPOST.COM By David E. Hoffman Updated: 12:13 a.m. ET Feb. 27, 2004 In January 1982, President Ronald Reagan approved a CIA plan to sabotage the economy of the Soviet Union through covert transfers of technology that contained hidden malfunctions, including software that later triggered a huge explosion in a Siberian natural gas pipeline, according to a new memoir by a Reagan White House official. Thomas C. Reed, a former Air For…

From DefenseNews U.S. Discussing Missile Site in Europe with Poland, Others By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, WASHINGTON The United States is discussing with Poland and other countries possible sites in Europe for a missile interceptor base capable of protecting the continent against long-range missile attack, a senior defense official said Nov. 16. The official said the discussions have been under way “below the radar screen” since 2002 but indicated the U.S. government is now nearing the point of making decisions on whether and how to go forward with such an initiative. “There have been a handful of countries — Poland is one, but there are several others — with …

From DefenseNews France, Italy Sign Multi-Billion-Euro Frigate Deal By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, PARIS NATO allies France and Italy on Nov. 16 signed a deal initiating the first phase of a joint program to build 27 naval frigates — Europe’s largest naval construction project. The agreement to start the 11-billion-euro ($13-billion) project — known as Renaissance in Italy and FREMM (European Multi-Mission Frigates) in France — was signed on the morning of Nov. 16, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said. “The contract for the development and realization of the multi-mission frigates was signed this morning, after three years of efforts. “Europe’s…

Ministers may save cash by replacing Trident with air-launched missiles By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor Published: 01 November 2005 The Independent Ministers are considering a cheaper replacement for Britain's Trident nuclear weapons by using air-launched cruise missiles - and they hope to overcome some of the growing opposition to the system. John Reid, the Defence Secretary, ran into fierce opposition from Labour MPs last night who protested that replacement plans were a waste of money, and the £20bn cost would be better spent on schools and hospitals. Clare Short, the former cabinet minister, writing in The Independent today says there was "e…

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…

Secret talks to rescue carrier deal IAN BRUCE, Defence Correspondent October 27 2005 TheHerald FRANCE could end up building part of the Royal Navy's two super-carriers, and ordering a third for itself, to allow the £3.6bn project to be completed within budget, according to senior Whitehall sources. It would be the first such co-operative defence venture of its kind between the two countries. The French government is considering ordering the British aircraft carrier in return for a share of the work on all three of the 60,000-tonne warships. The move is also aimed at helping save thousands of shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde and at Rosyth, and at Southampton a…

Says F-117A downed with a locally improved SA-3 Goa. Critical of NATO OPSEC and Comm discipline. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SER...EMPLATE=DEFAULT

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…

UPDATE 2-Stealth frigates deal eludes France and Italy Tuesday 4 October 2005, 11:30am EST Reuters By Paolo Biondi and Sophie Louet PARIS, Oct 4 (Reuters) - A last-minute failure to agree on a major defence deal to build "stealth" frigates at a Franco-Italian summit on Tuesday threw the fate of Europe's largest single naval construction project into confusion. The two NATO allies backed away from signing the 11-billion-euro ($13.12 billion) deal to build the 27 frigates to modernise their navies that should have crowned talks between President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Delegates said the two sides also failed to make progress i…

German Navy Pursues Sub-Launched Missile By MARTIN AGÜERA, MUNICH DefenseNews In the next legislative term, the German Navy hopes to revive an effort to develop a submarine-launched missile that may ignite a multinational development and marketing effort, said officials and industry executives. The weapon would be intended to work against anti-submarine warfare helicopters, small surface and littoral targets, industry officials said. Last year, the German military’s central procurement agency, the BWB in Koblenz, began to explore the idea through a working group dubbed IDAS, for Interactive Defense & Attack System for Submarines. The group is compose…

Typhoon Arises Eurofighter's plane finally comes in by Michal Fiszer Sep. 15, 2005 eDefense The Eurofighter Typhoon is finally reaching full operational service, with its Tranche 1 aircraft due to be delivered to customers by the end of this year. The Eurofighter program is one of the major European defense efforts and can be compared to the US F/A-22. Both aircraft have their roots in the Cold War, and both were initially developed with a focus on the air-to-air role. The Eurofighter Typhoon has been widely criticized in the press around the world. The program was cited for its long development cycle and high cost. But it must be remembered that state-of-the-…

Russia to Expand Baltic Submarine Fleet By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MOSCOW DefenseNews Russia’s navy plans to expand its Baltic Sea submarine flotilla from three to as many as nine combat submarines by 2007, the Baltic Fleet’s commander told Interfax-AVN news agency Sept. 15. ”A submarine brigade with between six and nine Project 677 Lada submarines will be formed over the next two years,” Admiral Vladimir Valuyev said. The expansion follows a cut-back in the number of submarines operated by the Baltic Fleet after the Soviet Union’s 1991 collapse, the admiral noted. Of the three subs currently in the fleet, two are in a state of permanent combat readin…

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…

From Jane's Defence Weekly Aiming for the high ground By Rob Hewson Editor Jane's Air-Launched Weapons London In the global market (excluding Russia and China) the US dominates the industrial and operational landscape in two ways. With the largest deployed air force it obviously has the largest weapons requirement. US manufacturers will always be supported by this single, fiercely protected market that guarantees sales. For example, the US Air Force (USAF) plans to replace its AIM-9M Sidewinder stocks (about 4,400 missiles) on an almost one-for-one basis with the AIM-9X (4,000 missiles) by 2012. No other customer has this kind of buying power. Europe's missi…