Defensiebegrotingen en -problematiek, niet NL

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Chilean Air Force accepts Stratotanker at Boeing's San Antonio facility

SAN ANTONIO, March 28, 2012 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered the last of the Chilean Air Force's three KC-135E Stratotankers on March 9 after all the aircraft completed Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) in San Antonio.

The final aircraft arrived at Boeing's San Antonio facility in June for the maintenance work, which included a variety of depot-level inspections, repairs, maintenance, modification and repainting. The KC-135E was flown to Santiago, Chile, by a crew from the U.S. Defense Contract Management Agency's 313th Flight Test Squadron.

"Boeing worked with the Chilean Air Force to incorporate lessons learned on the first and second aircraft to deliver the final KC-135 and return it to doing what it does best," said Mike Wright, Boeing KC-135 program director. "This highly dependable aircraft is a critical resource to Chile for refueling missions and humanitarian assistance."

KC-135 aircraft receive PDM after five years of service or 20,000 hours of flight time. Boeing has been performing PDM for the U.S. Air Force and other international customers at its San Antonio facility since 1998.

"Boeing continues to make significant investments in Lean processes that dramatically accelerate turnaround time, decrease cost and improve quality to better serve our customer," said Wright.

The first Chilean Air Force KC-135 to go through PDM was delivered on Feb. 18, 2010, a week before an 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chile. The aircraft was immediately put into use to conduct humanitarian missions. Delivery of the second aircraft took place on Aug. 30, 2011, one day before the KC-135 marked its 55th anniversary of first flight.

The Chilean government purchased three KC-135 E-model aircraft on July 8, 2009, through the U.S. Air Force Foreign Military Sales Office at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2189

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

8e C-17 Globemaster III voor de RAF

LONG BEACH, Calif., March 28, 2012 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that the UK Ministry of Defence has signed an agreement for the acquisition of one C-17 Globemaster III, bringing the Royal Air Force (RAF) fleet of the world's most advanced airlifters to a total of eight. Boeing is scheduled to deliver the eighth C-17 later this year.

"The tremendous teamwork of Boeing and U.S. Government officials has made it possible to announce this acquisition so quickly after we determined the need for this additional C-17," said UK Ministry of Defence Head of Commercial for Air Support Robin Philip. "This C-17 will be a welcome addition to the RAF fleet."

RAF C-17s had surpassed 50,000 flight hours in December 2009, when the UK announced its intent to purchase a seventh aircraft. By the time the seventh C-17 was delivered in November 2010, the fleet had logged more than 60,000 flight hours. The fleet has now surpassed 74,000 flight hours – a rate 15 percent above planned use.

"We have watched with great pride over the past decade as the RAF, our first international C-17 customer, has supported global peacekeeping missions and responded to the needs of millions affected by natural disasters around the world," said Bob Ciesla, Boeing vice president and C-17 program manager.

"We understand the need to move quickly to bring this contract to completion," said Liz Pace, Boeing C-17 UK program manager. "This additional order is a testament to our strong relationship with the UK as well as to the aircraft's advanced capability, flexibility and reliability."

The RAF C-17s are operated by 99Squadron at RAF Brize Norton. C-17s are used to support Operation Herrick, the transport of large equipment and troops to Afghanistan. RAF C-17s also delivered relief supplies following devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and provided humanitarian relief following floods in Pakistan.

As a member of the worldwide C-17 "virtual fleet," RAF C-17s are supported through the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program, a Performance-Based Logistics agreement. The GISP arrangement provides the highest airlift mission capable rate at one of the lowest costs per flying hour.

Boeing has delivered 241 C-17s worldwide, including 216 to the U.S. Air Force active duty, Guard and Reserve units. A total of 25 C-17s have been delivered to Australia, Canada, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. India has 10 C-17s on order for delivery in 2013 and 2014.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 62,000 employees

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2191

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Mwa, te ver....daar heb ik zo mijn twijfels over. Het zal wellicht wat kosten ja. Misschien dat als ze nu een definitieve tekening hebben dat het bouwen van een 3e carrier wel goedkoper is. Maar als je ziet hoe bepaalde schepen in het verleden zijn omgebouwd, gerefit en geupgrade, geloof ik niet dat de eerste carrier hopeloos verloren is. Kost wellicht tijd en geld, maar laat het desnoods in Roemenië doen ofzo. Voorlopig hebben ze het geld niet, maar technisch is 'alles' mogelijk. Vraag me af voor hoeveel de britten het eerste schip van de hand zouden durven doen .

Voor geld is natuurlijk alles mogelijk.

Wellicht een prima idee voor een zekere H. Hillen om een aan de overzijde van het kanaal van gedachten te wisselen om te onderzoeken of een Brits "overtollig" product zou kunnen passen in een geherstructureerde NL Krijgsmacht  

Kunnen de Britten hun nootleidende industrie weer dolgelukkig maken met de aanbesteding van een derde...  

En wij... dit onderwerp doorschuiven naar de krijgsmachtvisie voor 2020/30

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Dat lijkt me op termijn wel een te overwegen optie. De toestellen maken immers grotendeels gebruik van dezelfde technieken en onderdelen ( :crazy:).

Ik mag hopen dat ze voorlopig bij hun 'cat & trap' versie blijven. Wat er dan ooit gebeurt met die tweede carrier moet nog maar bezien worden. Die misschien ook maar ombouwen?

Lijkt mij ook de meest zinvolle oplossing.

Volgens diverse artiekelen is de eerste, in aanbouw zijnde carrier, al in een tever gevorderd stadium om deze realistisch gezien nog om te bouwen.

Slim, in mijn optiek, is de JSF order 50/50 te verdelen over de B en de C variant.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Hoe was het ook alweer : F-35B - F-35C - F-35B - nu weer F-35C ???

Als de Britten hun investering, in zowel cariers als F35, willen respecteren, dan kiezen ze voor beide types (zodat ook beide carriers ingezet kunnen worden)

Hoe moeilijk kan het zijn?

[Harald]

Hoe was het ook alweer : F-35B - F-35C - F-35B - nu weer F-35C ???

UK Might Stick With the F-35C

So remember a few weeks ago when news emerged that Britain was looking at backtracking on its plans to buy the F-35C carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter for its new carriers that are set to be equipped with new electromagnetic catapults and next generation arrestor gear? You know, the Royal Navy might go back to ordering the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B and build its carriers without cats and traps due in order to save money.

Well, the U.S. Navy — who is spearheading development on the new catapults, known as EMALS for its Ford class aircraft carriers —  has assured London that it will cost way less than the Biritish bean counters think it will to equip the Royal Navy's new carriers with cats and traps. The best part, if the effort to develop the EMALS falters, the U.S. will foot the bill, not the Brits. Let's hope the system keeps doing well.

Read more: http://defensetech.org/2012/03/26/uk-might-stick-with-the-f-35c/#ixzz1qIWQ4jin
Defense.org

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

French Navy Commissions the Experimental Patrol Vessel L'Adroit

The French navy has commissioned the Gowind-class OPV L'Adroit, developed and built by DCNS, which it will test for a range of missions during the next three years. (DCNS photo)
On March 19, the French Navy commissioned the experimental patrol vessel L'Adroit.

Fitted with a significant number of technical innovations, the ship was handed over to the navy on Oct. 21, 2011, for a three-year trial period, during which she will carry out a wide variety of naval missions such as fisheries inspection and protection, anti-drugs operations, environmental protection, humanitarian assistance, and search and rescue at sea.

Crewed by two full crews which alternate ever four months, L'Adroit is designed to remain at sea for extended periods -- up to 220 days per year. With an overall length of 87 meters, the experimental patrol vessel L'Adroit has a range of 8,000 nautical miles. It can remain at sea for over three weeks at a stretch, sail at speeds of up to 21 knots, and operate both helicopters and drones.

She requires a crew of only 30 officers and ratings, and can in addition also carry up to 30 passengers.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/133746/french-navy-commissions-experimental-opv.html

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

The World's Biggest Nuclear Submarine Is Also One of the Sneakiest

While the Red October may not have been an actual submarine, the Russian Typhoon class that it's based on certainly is. Turns out, Hollywood didn't have to embellish many details for the film—Typhoons really can sneak up on you.

The Typhoon is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines developed by the USSR and deployed throughout the 1980s. The fleet of six submarines were built at the Severodvinsk Shipyard on the White Sea.

The largest submarines ever constructed, they measure 175 meters long with a submerged displacement of 48,000 tons. The Typhoon class is capable of staying submerged for up to three months at a time.

These massive ships employ a five-layer, pressurized hull—the outermost of which is covered in sound-dampening plates—which allows the ship to dive to a maximum depth of 400 meters. The five-layer style also allows for an overall wider design than a conventional submarine. This helps create the necessary living space for the Typhoon's crew of 160 sailors, and it provides additional protection against hull breaches.

A Typhoon class sub is powered by two OK-650 pressurized-water nuclear reactors, each of which provides an excess of 250,000 HP. This allows the subs to reach a top speed of 22 knots on the surface and 27 knots when submerged.

The Typhoon was designed to compete with America's Ohio class subs, which were capable of carrying up to 192 100-kiloton nuclear warheads. Typhoons carried a primary cache of 20 RSM-52 SLBMs, each of which contained up to 10 MIRV warheads. These missiles were designed so that a Russian sub would be able to launch them safely and discreetly from beneath the ocean's surface. The missiles were also capable of breaking through Arctic ice floes during launch.

The missile systems that the Typhoon class use are reaching the end of their service lives. Three of the ships have been retired, two have been placed on reserve, and the flagship of the Typhoon fleet, the TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy, has been retrofitted and is in field testing with a new weapon system. [Typhoon Class Wiki, Naval Technology, Russian Forces Image: Bellona foundation]

http://gizmodo.com/5895441/the-worlds-biggest-nuclear-submarine-is-also-one-of-the-sneakiest

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Scrapping Trident 'would save £84bn'
23 March 2012

Cancelling the like-for-like replacement of the UK's nuclear deterrent would save £83.5bn over the next 50 years, according to a report produced for the British American Security Information Council (BASIC).

Defence economist professor Keith Hartley was commissioned to investigate the skills, employment, technology and regional impacts of various options regarding replacement of the deterrent, including the option of not replacing Trident at all.

Hartley estimated that the costs of the like-for-like replacement of the system until 2062 would amount to an average of £1.86bn a year, including maintenance.

Government estimates currently put the capital costs of designing and building the submarines at over £20bn.

Replacing the existing deterrent with a cruise missile system based around four new Astute class submarines would cost around £56.5bn over the same period, Hartley wrote, although he acknowledged it would be a less effective deterrent.

The consequences of outright cancellation of the system would include difficulties in maintaining the submarine engineering skills base, and Hartley recommended that engineers should be given alternative work in submarine maintenance or, if possible, the building of surface ships between orders for hunter-killer submarines.

Ultimately, he wrote, the skills and employment impacts of Trident were not "the main policy objectives" of defence procurement and that the submarine industry had ample time to adjust to any cancellation.

"Such procurements are about the contributions of various equipment programmes to UK security, protection and peace," he wrote.

"...Even with a Trident cancellation in 2016, there will remain substantial work on the Astute class SSNs to around 2024/25 resulting in an adjustment period of some 8-10 years. Such a lengthy adjustment period allows time for appropriate public policies to be introduced to ease any adjustment costs."

BASIC's Trident Commission, led by former defence secretaries Malcolm Rifkind and Des Browne, as well as former Lib Dem leader Menzies Campbell, is currently carrying out a study of options for Britain's nuclear deterrent, including alternative systems and the effects of cancellation.

The commission's study is separate to a review of alternative systems currently being carried out by the Cabinet Office, reporting to Liberal Democrat Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey.

Earlier this week the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament created an online game which highlighted what the CND believe would have to be cut in order fund the capital costs of replacing the Trident programme.

http://www.defencemanagement.com/news_story.asp?id=19271

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

EU praat over militaire samenwerking

BRUSSEL - De Europese ministers van defensie hebben donderdag gesproken over het mogelijk samenvoegen van militaire middelen. De bijeenkomst was ingegeven door de dalende Europese defensiebegrotingen en het feit dat de krijgsmacht van de Verenigde Staten zich meer gaat toeleggen op Azië en het Midden-Oosten.

De 27 lidstaten van de Europese Unie geven gezamenlijk jaarlijks zo'n tweehonderd miljard euro uit aan defensie. Alleen de Verenigde Staten steken meer geld in hun krijgsmacht. De gefragmenteerde staat van commandostructuren en de Europese defensie-industrie maken het echter schier onmogelijk schaalvoordelen te behalen bij de aankoop van militair materieel.

Het geld dat Europese landen in defensie steken is de afgelopen tien jaar met zo'n vijftien procent gedaald. De bezuinigingen die momenteel worden doorgevoerd om de financiële crisis het hoofd te bieden betekenen dat de Europese krijgsmachten nog meer moeten inleveren. De aankondiging van de VS dat het land zich meer op gebieden buiten Europa wil richten bemoeilijkt de zaak nog verder voor Europa.

Volgens EU-functionarissen zullen de ministers een aantal aanbevelingen van het Europese Defensie Agentschap (EDA) binnenkort goedkeuren. Het EDA beveelt aan om onder meer samen te werken op het gebied van tankvliegtuigen, medische eenheden en logistiek.

Naast de toekomst van het Europese defensiebeleid spraken de ministers ook over de missies die de EU momenteel heeft lopen, zoals de marinemissie voor de kust van Somalië. Deze missie heeft het aantal aanvallen door piraten doen afnemen en verlenging ervan is een prioriteit, aldus ingewijden. Daarnaast spraken de ministers ook over het trainingsprogramma voor het Somalische leger en de vredesoperatie in Bosnië.

De secretaris-generaal van de NAVO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, was ook bij de vergadering aanwezig. Hij zei dat het bondgenootschap zijn eigen anti-piraterijmissie genaamd Ocean Shield waarschijnlijk zal verlengen.

http://www.nd.nl/artikelen/2012/maart/22/eu-praat-over-militaire-samenwerking

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

'Men' mag dan wel 'plannen hebben', dit wil echter niet zeggen dat die ook gerealiseerd worden...
Kosten... om het ding te ontwerpen en te bouwen, wie gaat ze (mogen) kopen, en wie gaat ze kunnen betalen...

Aan de bijbehoren de plaatjes te zien, zijn het al behoorlijk gedateerde plannen (misschien is er iets nieuws over te vinden), op de plaatjes zien we naast de V22 de Boeing variant van de JSF, de X34.

[ARM-WAP]

Kleine correctie de V-22 Osprey kan ook opstijgen en landen van een schip met jumpjet.
Overigens heb ik ergens gelezen dat men ook plannen had-heeft voor een  V-22 Osprey AWACS

'Men' mag dan wel 'plannen hebben', dit wil echter niet zeggen dat die ook gerealiseerd worden...
Kosten... om het ding te ontwerpen en te bouwen, wie gaat ze (mogen) kopen, en wie gaat ze kunnen betalen...

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Slechts één Sea King inzetbaar voor reddingen op zee

donderdag 22 maart 2012, 06u25

Momenteel kan slechts één van de vier beschikbare Sea King-helikopters worden ingezet voor reddingsoperaties op zee. Dat zegt Dirk Deboodt van de de ACOD Defensie, die daarover een bezorgde mail stuurde naar de burgemeesters van alle kustgemeenten. Dat meldt De Morgen.

De Sea Kings die vandaag nog altijd reddingsacties op zee uitvoeren, zijn 35 jaar oud. De helikopters zijn zo verouderd dat ze in de lucht houden een huzarenstukje is, zegt Deboodt. 'Normaal moesten ze in 2013 uit omloop worden genomen. Aangezien die toestellen einde levensduur zijn, worden er ook geen grote kosten meer aan verricht en is het behelpen op een zo goedkoop mogelijke manier', klinkt het.

De man is naar eigen zeggen bezorgd, 'niet alleen voor het welzijn van het defensiepersoneel, maar ook van de bevolking.' Daarom richtte hij zich in een brief aan alle burgemeesters van de kustgemeenten. Daarin wijst hij op het feit dat 'slechts een van de vier beschikbare Sea Kings inzetbaar is, terwijl er normaal gezien twee - één actief en één stand-by - moeten zijn'.

Defensie wil de huidige situatie officieel bevestigen noch ontkennen. 'Ik moet u meedelen dat wij niet de gewoonte hebben om te communiceren over de operationaliteit van onze wapensystemen noch van ons materieel', luidt het in een officiële mail. Een hoge militaire bron bevestigt het verhaal, maar wijst erop dat het probleem snel zal verholpen zijn.

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20120322_013

[Ace1]

Da's dan ook het enige voordeel van die B-versie.
Andere toestellen (C, Rafale M, Hornet, Hawkeyes) kunnen er niet op landen.

Ik vind het idee maar niets...

Kleine correctie de V-22 Osprey kan ook opstijgen en landen van een schip met jumpjet.
Overigens heb ik ergens gelezen dat men ook plannen had-heeft voor een  V-22 Osprey AWACS

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Building the world's most advanced ships was never going to be plain sailing

By Will Cook

PUBLISHED: 13:46 GMT, 21 March 2012 | UPDATED: 13:46 GMT, 21 March 2012

It's news to reassure anyone who's worried that the sovereignty of the people and penguins of Port Stanley has been put at risk by government defence cuts.

Defence sources have told the Evening Standard newspaper that Britain's two new Queen Elizabeth class carriers – currently under construction – are 'unnecessarily large for the needs of the Royal Navy'.

'Unnecessarily large': An artist's impression of a Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier, two of which are under construction for the Royal Navy
There is even the suggestion that the 'decision to go for vast new vessels could have been due to a desire to outdo the French'.
If reading that awakened jingoistic stirrings in your breast, I regret they will be short-lived. This is a programme beset by embarrassing, costly, and well-publicised setbacks. As a result the Royal Navy has been left woefully under-equipped in comparison to the old foe of Trafalgar.

Retired: The decommissioning of HMS Ark Royal (pictured) has left the navy without a working aircraft carrier
In retiring HMS Ark Royal, and converting HMS Illustrious to a helicopter platform, the Strategic Defence and Security review left Britain without an aircraft carrier capability. Delays to the new carriers have pushed their launch date back to 2018 at the earliest.

But problems have dogged the aircraft intended to fly from the carriers as much as the ships themselves. The MoD originally intended to purchase the 'jump jet' (F35-B) variant of the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter, but under the Strategic Defence and Security Review it was decided that the second carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, would instead be fitted with catapults and arrestor wires designed to launch the longer-range, conventional version of the aircraft (the F35-C) . This was intended to allow American or French fighters to land on the carrier.

Offloading: One Queen Elizabeth class carrier may be sold to replace the aging French carrier Charles De Gaulle (pictured)
On which subject, it was also decided that after the second carrier was completed, the first (HMS Queen Elizabeth), could be sold to a 'close ally'. No prizes for guessing whom. France's nuclear-powered carrier Charles de Gaulle is fast approaching the end of its service life.

Now it has been revealed that the conversion of just one of the carriers to the catapult configuration could cost £2bn, and may push the completion date back to 2027. This news comes just months after Lockheed Martin began tests on the catapult-launched version of the F35. Tests that went badly. As in fundamental-design-flaw badly.

Design flaw: The Lockheed Martin F35 Joint Strike Fighter
It is in this context that the Government is expected to sign off a reversion of the carriers to their original configuration, and the resumption of the procurement process for the F35-B jump jet. This is much to the glee of Labour, who were in government when the original agreement was signed. It is less to the glee of the taxpayer, who will still be on the line for the £250m cost of reversing the work already done.

However there is hope. The savings made by reverting back to the original design could allow both carriers to become fully operational after all. Although there is the slight problem that HMS Queen Elizabeth is now being fitted to carry helicopters. More costly work to be reversed right there.
More...Cameron's warplane shot down as cost of converting aircraft carriers to fly them trebles
'Defence cuts mean we could not retake the Falkland with our 'dire Navy'', claims military chief who secured islands 30 years ago

But if the embattled Falklanders can hold on until 2018 the Royal Navy might, just might, be the proud owner of the two most advanced vessels the world has ever seen.

And isn't that the point? Nations shouldn't embark on projects of this scale with one eye on the purse strings. These 650,000-ton, 280 metre-long behemoths are of a complexity and size never attempted (the US Nimitz class carriers are larger, but certainly less advanced). There were always going to be delays, reversals, indecision and acrimony. The Government should press on, and the money should be found.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2118143/Building-worlds-advanced-ships-going-plain-sailing.html#ixzz1pn7zSbVN