Briefings : More SDR stuff, Drug Busts, Meeting In Space

• The Strategic Defence Review tittle-tattle continues. The Gurkhas are the latest in the firing line (so to speak) with suggestions they could be cut completely. One reason being they are no longer as cheap because of recent pension rights reforms.
• HMS Gloucester has intercepted a yacht in the mid-Atlantic carrying an estimated £4 million in cocaine. The destroyer was en route to the Falklands when it was called upon to assist authorities off the Cape Verde islands.
• Could the Royal Navy and Marine Nationale end up sharing a pool of 3 carriers? Neither side will confirm the report. If it did happen though it would mean the Queen Elizabeths going CTOL surely, which wouldn't be a bad thing. Nelson spinning in his grave et cetera.
• Taiwan's F-CK-1C/D fleet will receive radar upgrades following the US releasing a block on the export.
• Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) development is set to explode as these vehicles begin to play a major role in naval warfare. 
• Was the meeting of 2 Chinese satellites in orbit a sign of a sophistocated space warfare programme? SJ-12 and SJ-06F are thought to have performed "non-cooperative robotic rendezvous" which could allow for an array of military applications such as inspection or sabotage of foreign satellites.

Briefings : Atlantic, T-X, KC-10

• The German Navy has retired it's last Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft. Second hand P-3C Orions are now operated instead.
• One of the next big aircraft procurement programmes is a new advanced trainer for the USAF to replace the T-38 Talon. The winner of the T-X programme would also likely perform well with other trainer procurement programmes worldwide so the stakes are high. Contenders include the T-50 Golden Eagle and the Hawk 128.
• Boeing have won a $216 million contract to upgrade the cockpits of the USAF's fleet of KC-10 tankers. The upgrade includes a new communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system to allow the planes to operate and comply with forthcoming civil aerospace organisation standards.
• Sweden will buy 2 new submarines.

10 more Lynx to be upgraded

10 more Lynx AH9 helicopters are to be upgraded to AH9A standard in order for them to be able to used in Afghanistan. The upgrade includes more powerful engines, a strengthened structure and upgraded avionics. This further contract is on top of the existing upgrade currently being carried out on 12 Lynx the first of which will deploy to Afghanistan next month.

Briefings : Triumph, Nimrod, JSF

Submarine HMS Triumph has returned to the sea following a 6 year long refit. 6 years seems a long time for a refit doesn't it so what have they been doing in that time? Well Triumph's upgrades include the sonar system and the provision to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles, a new communications system including improved satellite communications and a fibra optic network.

The RAF meanwhile has accepted it's first Nimrod MRA4 though it will only be used for crew training until 2012 because of cost savings. With the withdrawal of the MR2 fleet this means Britain (an island nation of course) has no long-range maritime surveillance for 2 years. Pitiful isn't it really?

The overall cost of the JSF for the US has jumped 40%, not a good thing for sure in these days of recession and debt.

Briefings : LPPV, Phantom, KC-X

The Supacat SPV 400 (below) and the Force Protection Ocelot are the two contenders for an MOD order for 200 light protected patrol vehicles (LPPVs) to replace the Snatch Land Rover in British Army operational use in Afghanistan.

A 4th Skynet satellite will be launched in 2013 further extending British military communications. 

The Phantom lives on, Turkey has received the first of 16 upgraded F-4Es. The old birds have upgraded avionics, communication systems and flight control software. 54 of it's RF-4Es are also being upgraded in a separate project.

Northrop Grumman will not take part in the USAF's future tanker programme competition, the KC-X. They had partnered up with EADS in an earlier competition but will not take part again. EADS have also ruled out going it alone. They say the new USAF competition favours Boeing with it's smaller 767 offering.

Briefings : E-8 upgrades, GLONASS, US fighters

The USAF have begun a programme to re-engine it's fleet of E-8 JSTARS aircraft. They have gone for the JT8D-219 over the more fuel efficient CFM56 as fewer modifications to the aircraft will be needed.

Russia has launched 3 more satellites for it's GLONASS GPS system, 19 satellites are now in place with 1 under repair. This is said to be enough to provide coverage across all of Russia though at least 24 are required for worldwide coverage.

124 more Super Hornets and Growlers may be bought for the USN, once the Pentagon makes up it's mind. Meanwhile an audit of the troubled JSF shows part shortages will cause further delays of aircraft deliveries. Defense Tech looks at the programme and asks if the plane is militarily vital. Egypt wants to buy 24 more F-16s.

China has announced it's smallest increase in it's defence budget for years, it will only increase by 7.5% in 2010 which is tiny obviously. Here the MOD is misleading people over it's budget problems MPs say.

Illustrious arrives for upgrade

HMS Illustrious has arrived at Rosyth dockyard for a £40 million upgrade and maitenance which will keep the carrier in service until it can be (hopefully) replaced by Prince Of Wales at the end of the decade. The work will include repainting with paint that can reduce the water resistance (and thus increase fuel efficiency), replace pipework and exhausts and carrying out a full structural survey of the ship. The work is expected to take 18 months to complete.

Edinburgh begins final refit

Type 42 destroyer HMS Edinburgh has begun a £17.5 million overhaul, the last of the Type 42s to undergo such a refit. The hull will be painted with Sigma 990 paint which reduces water resistance (and could reduce fuel consumption by up to 15%), weapons and sensors will be upgraded, crew facilities will be improved and 2 of the 4 engines will be replaced. The refit will keep the ship in service until 2013.

Chinook HC3 finally enters service; Lynx AH9A

After lying in storage for years following a fiasco involving control software the RAF has finally accepted into service the first 2 of 8 Chinook HC3 helicopters and the type has now achieved initial operational capability clearance. All 8 are expected to be received by the RAF by the end of the year. The HC3s remained unusable since 2002 because of an inability to certify their software but the HC3s have now had their avionics bought (downgraded we assume) to HC2/2A standard. The Army has also received the first 4 of 12 upgraded Lynx AH9A with new more powerful engines for Afghanistan operations. The rest of the AH9 fleet may also be upgraded at a later stage.

UK Chinooks to be upgraded

The UK's Chinook HC2/2A helicopters are to be upgraded in 2 separate contracts. 21 new Titan 385ES-HD sensor turrets and to upgrade 4 existing turrets to HD standard. The turrets include "a High-Definition SLX Merlin medium waveband infra red camera" and other electro-optical sensors. Meanwhile additional cargo handling equipment will also be fitted to the Chinooks. Low friction rollers allow for more rapid unloading (which of course means the Chinook will on the ground and vulnerable for a shorter time).

Engine fire on Ark Royal

HMS Ark Royal, on trials following a £12 million refit, has suffered a minor engine fire it has been reported within hours of beginning the post-refit trials. The RN say there was no damage (surely there has to have been some damage to something no matter how minor!) and no injuries. The post-refit trials are to iron out any teething-problems a spokesman added.

Contract signed to upgrade 28 Pumas

A £300 million contract has been signed to upgrade 28 RAF Puma HC1 helicopters. The upgrade to HC2 standard includes new cockpit avionics, communications and flight control. The engines will be replaced with the more powerful Turbomeca Makila 1A1. Defensive aids will also be improved. The first aircraft will be returned to the RAF in 2 years with the rest completed by 2014.

Chinooks to be upgraded

The RAF Chinook fleet is to receive a substancial upgrade designed to improve performance in Afghanistan. A £128 million contract will see the Chinook fleet re-engined with Honeywell T55-L-714A engines which are up to 20% more powerful than the existing engines. The helicopters will apparently also be able to fly further as well as higher. Another contract, worth £208 million, will see the helicopters fitted with new glass cockpits to help in low-light conditions. There is no word yet as to when these upgrades will be completed.

Ark Royal returns to fleet

RN carrier HMS Ark Royal has returned to the fleet following a £12 million refit and update. Improvements during the seven month refit include updated IT systems, new exhausts and improved sewage treatment system. The hull has been painted with a new kind of paint called intersleek which apparently reduced fuel consumption. Considering the price of oil these days that update should pay for itself within months. Ark Royal will undergo sea trials and then resume it's role as the RN flagship.



Meanwhile work on it's replacement continues apace. The first sections of HMS Queen Elizabeth have arrived at Rosyth for assembly and £52 million in contracts have been signed for various equipment.

RAF wants to extend Typhoon life

The RAF has begun looking into the feasibility of extending the life of it's Typhoon fighters beyond 6000 flying hours. This would extend the type beyond it's OSD of 2030. The RAF are confident it can be done citeing the Tornado which has been extended to 8000 hours. Oddly enough but not really surprisingly the UK flies it's Typhoons more than the other builder nations Germany, Italy and Spain yet has ordered the least amount of spares.

Tornado GR4/4A Mid-Life Fatigue Programme (MLFP)

A £28 million contract has been signed for the Mid-Life Fatigue Programme (MLFP) for the Tornado GR4/4A fleet to keep them flying into the 2020s (planned OSD is 2025). Work will be carried out at BAE Warton and EADS in Germany. The contract will see the design and installation of strctural modifications to a trial aircraft which could be followed with a next phase with modifications to up to 40 aircraft.

Victorious launches Trident missile

HMS Victorious has launched a Trident missile off the coast of the US, though it was an unarmed one to complete the submarine's Long Overhaul Period and Refuel (LOP(R)). Usually LOP(R) ends when the submarine leaves port to begin it's sea trials but in this case the contract was extended up to the Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO). In more acronym news the LOP(R) also included Strategic Weapons Systems (SWS) operations to test the correct operation of all systems. Vigilant is now having it's LOP(R) and they may also extend this to the DASO too.



"You did launch #3 right? That was the unarmed one."
"Uh oh..."

New contract to maintain Navy and Air Force torpedoes

BAE has secured a £370 million 10 year contract to maintain torpedoes for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Eleven support contracts will be rolled into one with a resultant 20% cost saving or £65 million. BAE will maintain Spearfish and Stingray torpedoes and upgrade the former.

Phalanx Block 1B installed on RN warship; Westminster upgrade

Type 23 frigate HMS York has received a Block 1B upgrade to it's Phalanx CIWS. 16 Phalanx will be upgraded in total in the contract with Babcock. The upgrade adds a Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR) to the CIWS to help it engage with low-flying aircraft and surface targets. Meanwhile sister ship HMS Westminster is to receive Seawolf and command system, DNA(2), updates when it undergoes an £11 million refit.

Pumas to be upgraded

The RAFs Puma HC1 fleet is to be upgraded and life extended in a £300 million contract. The upgraded Pumas will have new engines (Turbomeca Makila) and avionics (glass cockpit, various new systems) to take them into the early 2020s with a plan to replace it with the Future Medium Helicopter in 2022.