Current Events in Europe

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…

From Navy Times Russian reports: Fastest sub to be scrapped By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Jul 29, 2008 11:57:35 EDT The fastest attack submarine ever built, Russia’s one-of-a-kind Papa-class guided missile boat, is at last being scrapped after a long fleet career and an ignominious retirement, Russian news agencies reported Monday. The submarine, known first as the K-162 and later the K-222 to its Northern Fleet crews, clocked a speed of 44.7 knots during sea trials in 1969, according to the nuclear watchdog Bellona. The ship served as a technology demonstrator for the subsequent high-speed, deep-diving Alfa class. The ship achieved its…

The OPV BAM Meteoro, first of a long programmed series of OPV and other vessels, was delivered to the Spanish Navy on 28 July 2011, IOC 2012 (She's slow but cheap, and is a modular ship and with 3000 tons at least she has a 76mm gun as minimum standard armament ): http://www.ateneadigital.es/RevistaAtenea/...as_5303_ESP.asp http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=116880 Nowadays at least 4+5 ships, of a grand total of 13 forecasted: http://www.defensa.com/index.php?option=co...&Itemid=162 First series: - 4xOPV variant (BAM-P: Meteoro, Rayo, Relampago and Tornado) Second series: - 3xOPV variant (BAM-P). - 1xSearch and Rescue and Submarine support varia…

Submarine activities increase near Norway: https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/security/2018/01/nuclear-submarines-inshore-norway-3-4-times-monthly#.Wm1BV6xEaFZ.facebook

Bulgaria To Offer Three Bases To U.S. Associated Press May 16, 2005 Military.com SOFIA, Bulgaria - Bulgaria said Saturday it will provide three military bases for use by U.S. forces. American officials have said they could use Bulgarian sites to deploy troops on rotational training tours as part of a broader U.S. strategy of shifting troops based in Europe further east. An American team was expected in Bulgaria next week to discuss the bases, senior military officials have said. Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov said three bases will be offered to the Americans but "it remains to be determined which bases are to be chosen," according to the state …

BBC News (rmks: A Non-NATO independent Scotland would have resulted in the loss of Lossiemouth and the northern QRA deployment there, not to mention the radar stations - providing considerably less reaction time to any Russian probe or full scale-attack. If the independence referendum does pass, a new home would still need to be found for the Trident subs though and you'd need to divvy up the Typhoon/Tornado fleet)

Maneuvering Russian Satellite Has Everyone’s Attention (Space News)

From Defense Aerospace Alenia Aeronautica's C-27J Chalks Up Another Success (Source: Finmeccanica; issued Dec. 1, 2006) ROME --- Alenia Aeronautica’s C-27J has chalked up another international success and is fast establishing itself as the next-generation tactical aircraft of choice for new NATO member countries. Romania’s Ministry of Defence has invited Alenia Aeronautica to take part in exclusive final negotiations to supply the C-27J to replace its Air Force’s current fleet of medium-sized transport aircraft. The final contract is for seven aircraft, worth a total of around EUR 220 million, and is expected to be signed by the end of the year. The planes …

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.

From http://mdb.cast.ru/mdb/4-2012/item4/article2/ [excerpt]

1st A400M To Be Delivered in 2nd Quarter of ’13 (DefenseNews)

Ice damage evident as UK SSN returns home (Jane's)

From Defense Aerospace Government Announces Intention to Maintain the UK's Nuclear Deterrent (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Dec. 4, 2006) The Prime Minister has today, 4 December 2006, signalled the Government's intention to maintain Britain's nuclear deterrent beyond the 2020s. The Government's proposals for maintaining the deterrent have been published today in a white paper. They will receive a vote in Parliament in the early part of next year. An exhaustive review of possible future nuclear threats and deterrent options has shown that renewing the Trident system, by replacing the existing submarines and extending the life of the Trident m…

Russia flies first radar- and avionics-upgraded Tu-160 bomber (Jane's)

Russian nuclear submarine fire 'put out' in Arctic dock (BBC News)

Russian Tu-22M Backfire bombers escorted by Su-27 Flankers simulate night attack on Sweden (The Aviationist blog)

New S-400 missiles to protect Kola Peninsula (Barents Observer)

Hiding in Plain Sight: Putin's War in Ukraine and Boris Nemtsov's Putin. War. (Atlantic Council)

In short, UK retires the Nimrod MR.2 in March 2010, and it must wait to 2012 to see the Nimrod MRA.4 in service. A two year gap without ASW nor maritime patrol aircrafts, bad thing for a insular state: http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=112034 (in french) http://australianaviation.com.au/uk-brings...mr2-retirement/ Some relevant excerpts of the Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker-Siddeley_Nimrod : On 15 December 2009, the Ministry of Defence announced that the introduction to service of the Nimrod MRA4 will be delayed until 2012 as part of wide-ranging defence spending cuts

From Mer et Marine, and with implications in the DB: http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=119189 For now, six commanded frigates: F590 Carlo Bergamini: General purpose variant, shore bombardment. F591 Virginio Fasan: ASW variant. F592 Carlo Margottini: ASW variant. F593 Luigi Rizzo: ASW variant. F594 unnamed: ASW variant. F595 unnamed: General purpose variant, shore bombardment. Main differences: The main gun in the General purpose variant is a 127mm/64 OTO Melara LW. The main gun in the ASW variant is a 76mm/62 OTO Melara Super Rapid. (and another aft 76mm gun and 2x25mm/80 OTO Melara Oerlikon single guns in both variants, the French variant has on…