Monday, March 15, 2010
General Dynamics wins FRES SV contract? (updated)
General Dynamics is reported to have beaten BAE Systems in winning the contract to build new armoured reconnaissance vehicles (FRES SV) for the British Army. The ASCOD 2 was chosen over the CV-90 and the initial contract is for 750 vehicles in a billion pound deal. 80% of the ASCOD will be built in the UK and General Dynamics claim over 10,000 UK jobs will be supported by this. Of course quite a lot of the CV-90 would be built in Sweden.
Update (15/03) : there is no official word yet but now BAE Systems say they will transfer CV-90 work from Sweden to the UK if it wins the order.
Briefings : UK/France, A400M, K-8
Britain and France may be moving closer together on matters of defence. Financial and geopolitical pressures may be forcing the two countries to think about a more shared defence future. When Royal Navy Rafales land on Charles de Gaulle i'll believe it! In other UK defence news, some more on Skynet 5D.
Now the A400M's future seems secured EADS are being bullish about the air freighters' future saying it could replace the C-130 as the world military transport of choice. We'll see. Venezuela have received 8 K-8s from China.
Now the A400M's future seems secured EADS are being bullish about the air freighters' future saying it could replace the C-130 as the world military transport of choice. We'll see. Venezuela have received 8 K-8s from China.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Sunday Fail : Project 685 "Mike" submarine
The Soviet Project 685, known as "Mike" to NATO, was a singleton class of submarine which sank 5 years after commissioning and is now a radioactive time bomb under one of the richest fishing areas in the world off the coast of Norway.
The order to design the 685 was made in 1966 but it took nearly 20 years before K-278 (as the boat was numbered) entered service in 1984. The 685 was an experimental submarine designed to test a number of new technologies and design features including a double hull and stronger internal bulkheads. The inner hull being titanium. The 685 could dive notably deeper than any NATO submarine, down to 1250m. The 685 included a personal escape sphere built into the sail to allow the crew to escape if anything happened in the deep sea.
The 685 came a cropper in relatively shallow waters though, on the 7th of April 1989 while at a depth of no more than 335m south west of Bear Island a fire broke out on board. Despite the watertight doors being closed the fire was able to spread via cables. The reactor was shut down and the submarine surfaced and most of the crew abandoned ship though many died of expsoure. Several hours later the submarine sunk. In total 42 men died in the accident.
And 685 became a radiological hazard. As well as the reactor the 685 carried 2 torpedos armed with nuclear warheads. If there is a serious radioactive leak then rich fishing grounds off the coast of Norway could be ruined for centuries. Surveys of the wreck have indicated cracks along the hull but as yet no serious radioactive leak. The wreck has a large hole in it's torpedo compartment however. Sea water is said to be corroding the casings of the warheads and the submarine's hull. Some plutonium was detected to have leaked from one of the warheads in 1994.
As raising the wreck would likely be too risky the strategy instead has been to seal cracks in the hull. The hull is now said to be safe for 20 to 30 years. So that is reassuring.
The order to design the 685 was made in 1966 but it took nearly 20 years before K-278 (as the boat was numbered) entered service in 1984. The 685 was an experimental submarine designed to test a number of new technologies and design features including a double hull and stronger internal bulkheads. The inner hull being titanium. The 685 could dive notably deeper than any NATO submarine, down to 1250m. The 685 included a personal escape sphere built into the sail to allow the crew to escape if anything happened in the deep sea.
The 685 came a cropper in relatively shallow waters though, on the 7th of April 1989 while at a depth of no more than 335m south west of Bear Island a fire broke out on board. Despite the watertight doors being closed the fire was able to spread via cables. The reactor was shut down and the submarine surfaced and most of the crew abandoned ship though many died of expsoure. Several hours later the submarine sunk. In total 42 men died in the accident.
And 685 became a radiological hazard. As well as the reactor the 685 carried 2 torpedos armed with nuclear warheads. If there is a serious radioactive leak then rich fishing grounds off the coast of Norway could be ruined for centuries. Surveys of the wreck have indicated cracks along the hull but as yet no serious radioactive leak. The wreck has a large hole in it's torpedo compartment however. Sea water is said to be corroding the casings of the warheads and the submarine's hull. Some plutonium was detected to have leaked from one of the warheads in 1994.
As raising the wreck would likely be too risky the strategy instead has been to seal cracks in the hull. The hull is now said to be safe for 20 to 30 years. So that is reassuring.
Friday, March 12, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Briefings : British armour, Reaper, KC-X
The winner of the programmes to upgrade the Warrior and produce the FRES SV will be announced on March 26th according to the CEO of one of the companies involved.
The RAF has doubled the amount of operational activity over Afghanistan with it's MQ-9 Reaper UCAVs and hopes to double it again when they get extra aircraft (well you would hope so wouldn't you?)
The USAF will not modify it's KC-X tanker programme after one of the two bidders (Northrop/EADS) dropped out. Boeing have a clear run. France are not happy about Airbus (EADS) not being involved anymore. Defense Tech talk about Chinese digital camouflage, and very nice it is too.
The RAF has doubled the amount of operational activity over Afghanistan with it's MQ-9 Reaper UCAVs and hopes to double it again when they get extra aircraft (well you would hope so wouldn't you?)
The USAF will not modify it's KC-X tanker programme after one of the two bidders (Northrop/EADS) dropped out. Boeing have a clear run. France are not happy about Airbus (EADS) not being involved anymore. Defense Tech talk about Chinese digital camouflage, and very nice it is too.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Briefings : Submarines, UK Training, QF-16s
The Royal Navy may lift the ban on women serving on it's submarines. They will make a decision later in the year and female officers could serve initially aboard the 4 Vanguard ballistic missile submarines. The UK MOD is looking to acquire the remaining major elements of it's Military Flying Training System. The RAF's Shorts Tucano and Hawker Siddeley Dominies will be replaced in the deal.
After many years of destruction the USAF is running out of QF-4 drones and will now convert the 126 oldest F-16s in storage of QF-16.
After many years of destruction the USAF is running out of QF-4 drones and will now convert the 126 oldest F-16s in storage of QF-16.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tugs of the future
A new fleet of tugs and support vessels are being built to support the Royal Navy's new generation of warships including the forthcoming CVF. A new fleet of 29 vessels will eventually be built, the entire fleet of vessels at Portsmouth will be replaced including 6 new tugs and a fuel lighter.
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