Current Events in Europe

Crimea and Russias Strategic Overhaul (Parameters)

Cuts in the number of warships diminishing Navy's global role By Michael Evans, Defence Editor TimesOnline THE Royal Navy has had to cut back on its presence around the world because it is running out of warships. After last year’s announcement that the Navy’s fleet of frigates and destroyers was to be cut from 31 to 25, the Ministry of Defence has been reviewing all maritime commitments. John Reid, the Defence Secretary, announced yesterday that three of the Royal Navy’s main tasks would have to be cut back, although none of the commitments would be dropped, as feared by MPs on the Commons Defence Committee in a recent report on Britain’s defence capabilitie…

From Navy Times CV costs could halve U.K. fleet, papers say By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Monday Oct 1, 2007 12:45:34 EDT The expense of adding two new planned aircraft carriers may cost the Royal Navy almost half of the other ships in its fleet, British newspapers reported Sunday. Citing an internal communique leaked from within the U.K. Ministry of Defence, The Times newspaper of London reported that spending on the two new 65,000-ton Queen Elizabeth-class flattops might force the admiralty to decommission five other warships by April 2008, and further cut British warships in the coming decades. London’s The Telegraph newspaper reported that draw…

HMS Queen Elizabeth sailing at last, for six weeks of test. Weapons now listed as 2x20mm Phalanx and 4x30mm guns: http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-carrier-thats-supposed-to-revitalize-the-british-na-1796420008

From Mer et Marine: The forward island for the CVF Queen Elizabeth delivered (in French, with pics): http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/lilot-du-futur-hms-queen-elizabeth-va-bientot-rejoindre-lecosse

Clear photos of the almost new Italian CVH Cavour in Marseille (and two years after his commisioning, without the two intended 76mm Super Rapid guns fitted, but I see something like radar gun director for those weapons): http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=114588

CVN-75 to keep station in the Med: https://news.usni.org/2021/12/28/secdef-orders-u-s-carrier-uss-harry-s-truman-to-stay-in-mediterranean-to-reassure-allies

Writing with the Blackberry, is better to read the news report: http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=119157

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…

French Aircraft Carrier deploys to Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf, will train with US Navy (Navy Recognition)

All you folks writing new scenarios around the South Ossetian affair can add the De Gaulle to the OOB. From ARES Blog 100 Says to Go Before Charles de Gaulle Returns to Active Duty Posted by Christina Mackenzie at 8/22/2008 11:33 AM CDT The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier came out of its dry dock in the Mediterraean port of Toulon on a beautiful August 22 dawn and has another 100 days of maintenance and upgrade at quayside before it can go back to sea. The French flagship has been undergoing its first major technical stoppage (known in French as an IPER which stands for: Indisponibilité Périodique pour Entretien et Réparations or periodical indi…

From the BBC - Rest in Peace Brian, a man who was intertwined with Britains Miliary, famous for his reporting from the Falklands and even while in his final stay in hospital gutted not to be able to report on the final flight of the Harrier, rest in peace and my regards to his family, he will be sorely missed.

Scotland Unveils Defense Plans If It Splits From UK (Aviation Week) There's scenario fodder here.

From Aviation Week [excerpt]

Delivery of the first FREMM frigate (Defense Aerospace)

Kingdom of Denmark Strategy for the Arctic 2011 2020 (pdf)

In Navy Recognition: http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/focus-analysis/naval-technology/5119-in-details-french-navy-aircraft-carrier-charles-de-gaulle-mid-life-refit.html

From DefenseNews DIA Official Defends Russia-Georgia Reporting By JOHN T. BENNETT Published: 2 Sep 11:10 EDT (15:10 GMT) The Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA's) top analyst says the U.S. agency provided Bush administration officials with ample warning that the simmering tensions between Georgia and Russia could erupt in fighting. In the wake of fighting that broke out between the two nations, including a massive Russian offensive deep within Georgian territory, many observers have wondered why U.S. and western officials failed to predict Moscow was ready to launch an massive assault on Georgia. And while Robert Cardillo, DIA's deputy director of analysis, …

From Defense Aerospace Diamond Cuts the Waves (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Nov. 27, 2007) The Royal Navy's newest and most powerful Type 45 destroyer - Diamond - was launched today, Tuesday 27 November 2007, from BAE's shipyard at Govan, on the River Clyde. Thousands of local people turned out for the launch, including many local schoolchildren. The Type 45 destroyers are the larger and more powerful replacement for the existing Type 42s. The destroyer will carry the world-leading PAAMS system (Principal Anti-Air Missile System) which is capable of defending a Type 45 and ships in its company from multiple attacks by the most sophisticated anti-s…

From Navy Times DoD details Russian buzzing of U.S. frigate By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Friday Sep 17, 2010 16:49:28 EDT Russian navy aircraft made a series of very close passes over the frigate Taylor last week after its visit to the northern port city of Murmansk, defense officials confirmed Friday, in a chain of incidents so unusual they were discussed in person by the top U.S. and Russian naval officers at the Pentagon. <snip> Staff writer Andrew Tilghman contributed to this report.