Briefings : 6 squadron, Anti-piracy, Talent

• The RAF has unveiled its newly reformed 6 Squadron which is equipped with Typhoons. 6 Squadron's job will be to provide quick reaction alert cover for the north of the UK from next year.
• 820 Naval Air Squadron has deployed to East Africa. The squadron's Merlin helicopters are embarked aboard RFA Fort Victoria and will carry out anti-piracy operations.
• Royal Navy submarine HMS Talent has returned home following an extended spell East of Suez.
• A rare German bomber from WW2 is to be restored by the RAF Museum after being recovered from the Goodwin Sands. The Dornier Do 17 had lain in the sands for 70 years after being shot down in 1940 and is said to be in good condition, the tyres are even still inflated!
• France is still confident it can sell helicopter carriers to Russia despite the Russians throwing the tender open.
• The Chinese media is calling for more anti-carrier weapons like the DF-21D though there are doubts being raised as to the effectiveness of weapons like these.
• Making sense of Anglo-French defence rumours.

Britain and France will not share carriers... but may share A400M

So Britain and France won't share a pool of aircraft carriers, well it was always going to have been unlikely (but may have been fun from a twisted outsider point of view). Instead the UK and France will be looking at how to share their respective fleets of A400M transports (does that mean they'll be able to get away with buying less?)

Briefings : Army cuts, Arms sales, Co-op

• The UK could cut it's troop numbers by 30,000 and place the Royal Marines under Army control under one option being drawn up in the strategic defence review. However an army source said that would be unlikely to happen while fighting was continuing in Afghanistan.
• India is to sign a £500 million deal with BAE Systems for Hawk trainer jets it is reported during the Prime Ministers' trip to India this week.
• Kuwait has shown an interest in the F-15SE Silent Eagle to augment its current fleet of Hornets. Saudi Arabia plans to buy 84 F-15s along with 72 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
• France and Germany have set up a co-operation working group to look at ways to save costs by pooling resources. 
• Myanmar is said to be working on nuclear weapons.

Briefings : Trident costs, Anglo-French Co-op, Gripen-NG

• The UK Treasury is asking the MOD to see if the costs of replacing the UK's strategic nuclear deterrent can come out of the MOD budget and not a separate ring-fenced budget outside of the core MOD budget. Meanwhile the mirage of only buying 3 submarines not 4 has come up again but i thought they found the cost savings were fairly small overall and the loss of flexibility and cover fairly big?
• The UK and France are to launch a study into military co-operation. The two countries will see which competencies can be shared and which cannot. One area of co-operation could be in buying inflight refuelling tankers as both the UK and France plan to buy the A330 based MRTT.
• Sweden will buy the Gripen-NG Saab say though a formal announcement has not yet been made. Saab are confident Gripen will be in Swedish service beyond 2040 and Gripen-NG could be bought before the end of the decade.
• Royal Navy Sea King pilots have been training for their forthcoming deployment to Helmand province in California.
  
  
  

Briefings : Bomb disposal, M51, Sky Warrior

• Dragon Runner counter-IED robots have been criticised as useless by unnamed members of the Army bomb disposal team. The main problem appears to be it can't move over uneven ground. Which would seem to be a bit of a drawback in Afghanistan.
• France has test fired a M51 SLBM from the submarine Le Terrible. The unarmed missile test is intended to validate the missile under operational conditions.
  
  
• The Block 1 MQ-1C Sky Warrior UCAV for the US Army has entered production. 34 Sky Warriors will be built in total. The Sky Warrior will fulfill the armed MALE role and replace the RQ-5 Hunter and RQ-7 Shadow.
• Norway has launched (or rather an Indian rocket has) the AISSat-1 ship-tracking satellite. The nano-sat (a 20cm cube) will track ships in Norwegian territorial waters by picking up the signals from their AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponders.

Briefings : Brimstone, French defence cuts, Military blogging (updated)

• A new version of the Brimstone guided missile is to be tested on RAF Tornado GR4s. The tests will be carried out in 2011 to clear the missile ahead of it entering service with the RAF at a later date. The new version of Brimstone is intended for a "low-collateral, precision-attack capability deployable against manoeuvring and fixed targets in short- to medium-range close air support or counter-insurgency operations". So it should enter service just in time for our pull out from Afghanistan.
  
• France is to cut it's defence spending by 3.5 billion euros as part of it's efforts to cut it's deficit. That amounts to less than 4% of the defence budget and may be off-set by some asset sales. Current procurement programmes will not be affected it is claimed.
• The Dutch may pull out of the JSF's initial operational test and evaluation phase. Spain is reducing it's P-3 upgrade programme to just 4 aircraft.
• In comparion to recent moves by the Chinese military to ban it's personnel from blogging the British forces in Afghanistan have launched a mass blogging initiative by personnel writing regular posts from the front line. Posts have been written by personnel from the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
• The 1940 sinking of the British troopship Lancastria saw the loss of up to 6000 lives and is Britain's worst naval disaster yet news of the loss was suppressed at the time to not give the Germans a propaganda coup. Survivors and supporters are now trying to get the ship's resting place recognised as a war grave. 
• The first Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring is linked to the city of Birmingham (my home) apparently. City dignitaries including the Lord Mayor were given a tour of the new ship.
• Freeze the wages of public sector workers, hooray! Wait that includes 140,000 service personnel, boooo!

Briefings : Pakistani F-16s, Illustrious, French MALE

• Pakistan has received the first of a latest batch of new F-16C/D fighters. Eventually 12 F-16Cs and 6 F-16Ds will be delivered.
• The Royal Navy flagship HMS Illustrious is currently in refit, this article takes a look at what is being done to the aircraft carrier.
• The French are seriously considering buying a US drone off-the-shelf for it's MALE UAV programme. Predator Bs would be in the frame for that procurement.
• The Chinese military have banned all of it's personnel from blogging or creating a website. PLA members are also banned from making friends on-line.

Briefings : Sea Avenger, US nukes, Rafale

General Atomics has unveiled the Sea Avenger UAS and offered it to the USN to fill their requirement for a carrier launched attack and surveilance drone. This is a navalised version of the Predator C drone.

The US has revealed the exact size of it's nuclear stockpile for the first time at the UN talks on the non-proliferation of nuclear warheads, though the figure of 5113 warheads did not surprise experts that much which was pretty much in line with their estimates. Thousands more warheads are awaiting dismantlement.

Dassault is still waiting for it's first Rafale order though UAE looks like it may buy the fighter. However talks are ongoing as the UAE want a better version of the fighter than the F3 which currently equips the French Air Force. The UAE want more engine thrust, an AESA radar and better electronics in an F4 model, however this could also equip the French Air Force too.

Meanwhile the Indian MMRCA fighter contract (which will be for 126 aircraft) has dragged on so long that the competing companies will now have to re-bid.

Briefings : Iraqi Hawks, Taiwan kickbacks, USN cuts

Iraq is considering buying the BAE Systems Hawk as it's advanced trainer as it gradually rebuilds it's air force in a deal that could be worth over a billion pounds. Iraqi Air Force officials will visit Britain later this year to test fly the trainer.

French defence giant Thales has been ordered to pay damages to the Taiwanese government after being found guilty of using bribes to secure a contract for 6 frigates back in 1991. The total Thales might have to pay out could be as high as a billion dollars.

Is the US Navy in line for some big cuts? Secretary of Defence Gates is reported to have questioned the need for so many carrier battle groups and whether the US could afford so many multi-billion dollar programmes. One future weapon system said to be under review is the Ohio SSBN replacement. This has implications for the Royal Navy's Successor ballistic missile submarine programme of course.

France offers to share nuclear deterrent with UK

France has offered to form a joint nuclear deterrent with the UK with shared submarine patrols according to reports. The UK is so far against the idea because of soverignty issues though if the SSBN force is reduced from 4 submarines to 3 it may be a pooled force will be required to absolutely guarantee a continuous deterrent. The question would be of course what if we wanted to nuke someone but a French boat was on patrol at the time and refused to fire. It is likely though that any attack on either country would require a response from both countries.

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.

Briefings : A400M, Taleban, Nuclear tests

The seven European partners backing the Airbus A400M project have agreed to offer loan guarantees worth 1.5 billion euros to keep the project going after Airbus threatened to pull the plug. This is on top of 2 billion euros extra funding previously agreed.

The second-in-command of the Taleban is said to have been captured in Pakistan, though the Taleban are denying it. British troops are reported to have been warned the Taleban may try a high profile retaliatory attack after losing their stronghold of Showal. CDR Salamander takes a look at Moshtarak now the dust has cleared and the change in NATO strategy.

French soldiers were deliberately exposed to radiation during nuclear tests conducted in Algeria in the 1960s to “study the physiological and psychological effects of atomic weaponry on humans” a leaked confidential report states.

Briefings : Sonar upgrade, Iraq, Falklands

Three Trafalgar and three Astute submarines are to have their Sonar 2076 ..er.. sonars upgraded to Stage 5. The upgrade further improved performance, reduces long-term costs and improved fleet commonality through the use of open architecture. Though its not all good news for UK submarines as BAE Systems Submarine Solutions at Barrow are to cut 230 jobs because of delays in ordering the rest of the Astute programme it claims.

Iraq wants the return of $898 million from France which the Saddam Hussein regime paid for Mirage fighter jets which were never delivered because of sanctions raised when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. I suspect Iraq may be waiting awhile. The Airborne Laser fitted to a 747 has successfully shot down a liquid fuel missile.

Argentina is blocking a transport ship from leaving for the Falkland Islands with a cargo of metal tubes which it claims will be used for "illegal" drilling activity off the islands it still claims. Election due soon in Argentina or something?

Briefings : Service links, Rafale, BMD

Although a merger of the three services is probably unlikely (well hopefully) the nature of combined operations these days does make closer links between the services a good idea, and even the Defence Secretary agrees with that. He said the three services do not stand and separately as they used to citing the example of the Joint Helicopter Command.

Despite earlier reports that the Rafale had been selected for the Brazilian Air Force the defence ministry is now playing down these reports. Maybe they want the price to be cut a little more. Earlier reports suggested the order for 36 Rafale F3s had been confirmed after the price had been dropped to $6.2 billion. The Super Hornet and the Gripen NG are the other contenders, the air force is reported to prefer the Gripen but the President wants the Rafale. Personally i think the Rafale is the best choice but it is likely politics rather than anything else that will decide the "winner".

HMS Nottingham is due to be decommissioned and the crew paid farewell to their destroyer's namesake city. Romania will host US missile interceptors in the latest attempt to build a BMD shield in eastern Europe.

Briefings (05/01/10) : C-17, A400M, PAK-FA

Contracts have been signed for a 7th C-17 Globemaster for the RAF. It should enter service in March next year.

However the RAF's future airlifter the A400M could be in trouble again, this time from Airbus who apparently want to ditch the project?! Airbus don't want their troubled airlifter to damage it's successful commercial division.

Russia have begun ground tests of their next generation combat fighter, the PAK-FA and it will hopefully make it's first flight later this month. There are still no photographs of this mysterious new beast though so we don't know yet if its a Raptorski, Flanker 3.0 or something else entirely.

A US drone has crashed in eastern Afghanistan, probably due to technical problems not enemy fire. The French Navy is celebrating 100 years of naval aviation this year (the FAA celebrated it's 100th birthday in 2009 of course).

Britain and France to collaborate on anti-ship missile

Britain and France have begun a joint assessment exercise to develop technology for a new helicopter launched anti-ship missile which could be fired from RN Wildcats and MN NH90s and Panthers. The joint assessment will last for 2 years, the project aims to meet the UK's Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) and the French Anti-Navire Léger (ANL) requirements.

Vanguard returns

HMS Vanguard has returned to service following repairs to damage sustained when it collided with a French SSBN Le Triomphant 4 months ago. The damage Vanguard sustained was said to be minor though some eyewitnesses say the submarine looked rather more than minorly damaged when it limped back to Faslane naval base after the collision.

UK drops to 4th in defence spending

The UK has dropped to 4th in the world defence spending league behind France spending a mere $65.3 billion. This drop has been attributed to recent defence cuts and the fall of the pound against the dollar and euro. Still a top 5 placing is still very good for jolly old Blighty but top of the hit parade is the US of course with $607 billion just shading China in second place with -er- $84.9 billion.

A tiny defence budget means the US can only afford cheapo weapons like the F-22

UK and French SSBNs collide in Atlantic

The MOD are staying quiet about it but the French are admitting one of their ballistic-missile submarines, Le Triomphant, has struck another submarine, said to be the lead class of the Royal Navy's Vanguard class of ballistic-missile submarines! Le Triomphant's sonar dome was destroyed in the incident, damage to Vanguard is unknown though both submarines were able to make it back to dock and there was no radiation release.



The incident occurred in "heavy seas" (perhaps the background noise masked the other boat from the passive sensors?) off the French Atlantic coast on the night of February 3rd and 4th in heavy seas. The French have said there were no injuries. The systems on both boats aimed at avoiding such an incident seem to have failed on both boats or maybe rather the stealth of both boats was so good they couldn't be detected by passive sonar.

France to close 50 military bases

The scale of French defence cuts have been revealed and will see 50 bases and facilities closed, 54,000 jobs cut and 83 units closed. This will save nearly 2 billion euros a year which it is claimed will be invested back in the French armed forces. Total defence expenditure from 2009 to 2020 will be 377 billion euros.


I suspect the cuts won't mean a return to these days

The defence changes are part of an effort to restructure the French forces away from a conscript to a career mentality and to improve the effectiveness of the armed forces to match the current strategic need. The French defence minister Herve Morin has already noted that only 40% of French military personnel are in operational roles the opposite of the ratio here in the UK but God help the French armed forces if they are going to use us as a template for their restructure.