Armoredd.com

MOORESTOWN, N.J., June 23rd, 2009 — Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] installed the latest evolution of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System – which includes a new ballistic missile defense signal processor, Aegis BSP – on the cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70). Over the next year, USS Lake Erie will complete a series of tests, leading up to full certification of the system upgrade by the U.S. Navy in early 2011.

The Aegis BMD 4.0.1 system represents the next incremental capability upgrade that has been the hallmark of Aegis and its “build a little, test a little, learn a lot” systems engineering philosophy. The upgrade’s new Aegis BSP processor improves the system’s ability to detect, track and target complex ballistic missiles and their associated countermeasures. The addition of BMD 4.0.1 also integrates the new Standard Missile-3 Block IB missile in late 2010.

“The signal processor is a major technical advance for Aegis BMD before it merges with the Navy’s Aegis Modernization Program’s fully open architecture, multi-mission combat system,” said Orlando Carvalho, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Surface/Sea-Based Missile Defense line of business. “The continued Aegis program emphasis on systems engineering excellence supports the Navy’s desire to expand BMD capability to additional cruisers and destroyers, and grow missile defense capability to pace the threat.”

While USS Lake Erie begins advanced testing with Aegis BMD 4.0.1 to support 2011 certification timeline, the other U.S. Navy Aegis BMD-capable ships are now installing the recently-certified Aegis BMD 3.6.1 version that adds the capability to defeat short-range ballistic missiles as they re-enter the atmosphere in their final (terminal) stage of flight to the existing exo-atmospheric capability. The ongoing develop-test-field process provides incremental enhancements that continue to build on each other and move new capability to the fleet faster. Three additional U.S. East Coast-based Aegis-equipped ships also will receive Aegis BMD 3.6.1 to perform ballistic missile defense by early 2010.

The Missile Defense Agency and the Navy are jointly developing Aegis BMD as part of the United States’ Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). Currently, a total of 20 Aegis BMD-equipped warships – 18 in the U.S. Navy and two in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force – have the certified capability to engage ballistic missiles and perform long-range surveillance and track missions.

The Aegis Weapon System is the world’s premier naval defense system and the sea-based element of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System. Its precision SPY-1 radar and integrated command and controls system seamlessly guides the interceptor and uplinks target track information to the missile for terminal homing. Its ability to detect, track and engage targets ranging from sea-skimming cruise missiles to ballistic missiles in space is proven and unmatched. The Aegis BMD Weapon System also integrates with the BMDS, receiving track data from and providing track information to other BMDS elements.

The 91 Aegis-equipped ships currently in service around the globe have more than 950 years of at-sea operational experience and have launched more than 3,500 missiles in tests and real-world operations. In addition to the U.S. and Japan, Aegis is the maritime weapon system of choice for Australia, Norway, South Korea and Spain.

Lockheed Martin is a world leader in systems integration and the development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, including the first operational hit-to-kill missile defense system, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3). It also has considerable experience in interceptor systems, kill vehicles, battle management command, control and communications, precision pointing and tracking optics, as well as radar and other sensors that enable signal processing and data fusion. The company makes significant contributions to nearly all major U.S. Missile Defense Systems and participates in several global missile defense partnerships.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

Source: Lockheed Martin Corporation

A Training and Adventure news article
3 Jul 09

The Royal Navy has welcomed home four vessels from various deployments around the world over the past week - HMS St Albans, HMS Portland, HMS Brocklesby and HMS Talent.

HMS St Albans
Royal Navy frigate HMS St Albans returned to Portsmouth, her home port, today, Friday 3 July 2009, after six months at sea. Most recently she took part in Exercise ‘Baltops 2009′ in the Baltic working alongside ships from both NATO and other navies in the region.

This large maritime annual exercise has promoted mutual understanding between NATO and ‘Partnership for Peace’ participants in the region since 1993. Exercise ‘Baltops 2009′ brings thousands of multi-national sailors together in a joint response to a variety of maritime security scenarios, incorporating anti-submarine and anti-air warfare, radar tracking, interception, mine countermeasures, search and rescue, and maritime interdiction operations, to prevent smuggling of arms, people and weapons.

Commanding Officer of HMS St Albans, Commander Adrian Pierce, said:

“A tremendously varied six months has seen St Albans and her great ship’s company achieve an enormous amount in areas on all four corners of Europe and beyond; Alexandria in the south, Haifa in the east, Brittany in the west, and St Petersburg in the north.

“Building links and furthering alliances and coalitions, it has been a delight to lead such a well trained group of sailors. They have acted as ambassadors for the Royal Navy and Great Britain while continuing to strengthen maritime security and allowing mariners to sail the seas in safety.”

The frigate left Portsmouth at the beginning of the year and headed for the Mediterranean to take part in the NATO operation ‘Active Endeavour’. In this operation NATO ships are patrolling the Mediterranean and monitoring shipping to help detect, deter and protect against terrorist activity.

During a particularly busy period of surge operations in the southern Mediterranean in March HMS St Albans hailed over 200 merchant cargo vessels and tankers on the busy shipping trade routes.

HMS Portland
After spending eight months away from home conducting maritime operations in the Middle East and Indian Ocean, Plymouth-based warship HMS Portland and her crew also returned to Devonport today.

Since HMS Portland deployed in November 2008, the ship’s company has participated in over 30 successful anti-piracy and counter-narcotics boardings and intercepts as part of the Combined Maritime Forces Task Force 151 and 150 in the northern Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa.

Portland also visited Gibraltar, Crete, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, India, Jordan and Malta whilst on deployment and operated with a large number of navies from all around the globe. In doing so, HMS Portland travelled a total of 49,500 nautical miles, the equivalent of twice around the world at the equator.

Commanding Officer of HMS Portland, Commander Tim Henry, said:

“Every member of my ship’s company has worked extremely hard, often under the most taxing conditions, throughout this hugely successful deployment.

“Without their dedication and commitment we would not have been able to achieve the successes that we have; from the cutting-edge of counter-piracy operations and maritime security, to flying the flag for the UK and Royal Navy, HMS Portland has been at the forefront of maritime operations in the northern Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa.

“All of this, of course, would not have been possible without the continued support and encouragement of our families and friends at home.”

HMS Brocklesby
HMS Brocklesby returned home to Portsmouth Naval Base from a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean, North Sea and Baltic, yesterday, Thursday 2 July 2009.

HMS Brocklesby’s skilled team of mine warfare experts has had success in detecting and disposing of historic ordnance from the Second World War in both the Mediterranean during NATO Exercise Loyal Mariner and in the English Channel and North Sea, including six aircraft bombs - three of which the disposal teams had to raise from the seabed and move clear of underwater pipelines before countermining them.

The ship returns following a maritime exercise in the Baltic working alongside 50 other ships from NATO and other regional navies. The ship has also recently participated in Kiel Week festivities in Germany.

Both HMS Brocklesby and Royal Navy frigate HMS St Albans attended a formal wreath-laying ceremony at the Commonwealth War Cemetery to mark the sacrifice of sailors from all nations.

Commanding Officer of HMS Brocklesby, Lieutenant Commander Tom Tredray, said:

“Deploying as part of the NATO Mine Countermeasures Group has been an excellent opportunity to work closely with our allies. We have made some good friends over the last six months and operated successfully from the Baltic to the Mediterranean.

“Through our work to dispose of explosives left over from the Second World War, we have also helped to make the seas around Europe safer for everyone, especially fishermen.”

HMS Talent
On Wednesday 24 June 2009, HMS Talent returned to her home port of Devonport, Plymouth, after a deployment of nearly six months.

One of seven Trafalgar Class submarines based in the West Country, HMS Talent sailed from Plymouth in January. After a brief spell exercising off the snowy coast of Scotland, the boat deployed and exercised in both the Mediterranean and the Middle East in support of the Taurus 09 Task Group.

Made up from 12 ships and a Royal Marine detachment the Task Group was the largest that the Royal Navy has assembled in more than a decade.

The deployment saw HMS Talent involved in a series of international exercises that took place off the coasts of a number of countries, including Cyprus, Italy and Turkey, as well as in the Indian Ocean.

During this period HMS Talent conducted a wide range of tasks including the provision of a target for anti-submarine warfare training, beach reconnaissance in support of an amphibious landing exercise and intelligence collections from both sea- and land-based assets.

Commanding Officer of HMS Talent, Commander Simon Asquith, said:

“It is good to be back amongst family and friends after such a busy and varied deployment. At a time when the Royal Navy is busier than ever, it is great to have been able to play our part and my team should be very proud of what they have achieved.”

Source: U.K Ministry of Defence

16 Jun 2009 | Ref. 099/2009

NASHUA, New Hampshire — BAE Systems has been awarded a $33.6 million low-rate initial production contract for the ALE-55. The AN/ALE-55 is part of the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) system that provides fighter aircraft with electronic defense against radar guided missiles.

“We conducted a very successful production readiness review and believe BAE Systems will continue to perform, produce, and deliver a very capable system,” said Capt. Paul Overstreet of the Naval Air Systems Command. “The ALE-55 will significantly enhance self-protection for our aircraft across a range of threats.”

The ALE-55 consists of an onboard electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber-optic towed device (FOTD). The EFC converts radio frequencies to light that is transferred over a fiber-optic cable to a transmitter in the FOTD that jams missile threats to the aircraft.

“We’re well on the way to providing the Navy the protection it needs in modern combat,” said Burt Keirstead, director of Navy Programs at BAE Systems Electronics Solutions business.

BAE Systems began low-rate initial production of the AN/ALE-55 Lot IV in June 2008 and is expected to complete production of Lot V in September 2011. When combined with the previous Lot IV award, this Lot V production award increases the total FOTD deliveries to 473 and the total contract value to $65.6 million.

About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is the premier global defense, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems’ sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.

Source: BAE Systems

09:13 GMT, June 24, 2009 The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the UK House of Commons yesterday issued a report on the UK’s Type 45 destroyer programme, which is expected to become the backbone of the Royal Navy’s air defence capabilities, but faces a number of serious problems resulting in increased costs and serious delays.

Following an audit by the National Audit Office (NAO), the PAC examined the capabilities provided by the Type 45 destroyer, the reasons for the rising costs and delays, and identified lessons learned for the aircraft carrier project.

The committee acknowledged that the Type 45 would provide the Royal Navy with a world-class military capability. However, the report also notes that serious mistakes have been made in the early stages of the procurement of the Type 45 destroyer, including unrealistic calculations and time objectives. “The project management arrangements on the Type 45 were poor and allowed the culture of over-optimism to persist for too long,” it was noted in the report. Following a far-reaching review of the project, the contract was renegotiated in 2007 and, since then, there have been no further cost increases or delays.

Equipment not introduced in time while budget rises

Although the First of Class will enter service in 2009 – two years later than planed – it will not have the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS), also known as known as “Sea Viper”, which will not achieve full operational capability until 2011. Other equipment and capabilities to enhance the ship’s ability to conduct anti-air warfare operations will also not be fitted until after the ship enters service. This means that the Type 45 will not have any anti-air capability (which it had originally been built for) until, at least, 2011.

As a result of the delays, the Department had to extend the life of the Type 42 destroyers longer than planned. “These ships are increasingly expensive to maintain, provide a more limited capability than the Type 45 and are more vulnerable to the most up-to-date threats from a modern enemy,” the committee notes.

Beyond that, the report sees the original budget exceeded by some £1.5 billion ($2.45 billion). The report says that the ministry “is confident that it will avoid making the same mistakes in the project management arrangements” on its two new aircraft carriers. “Agreeing [to] a fixed price too early, and not pricing all the requirements at the time of the contract, meant the Type 45 was at risk of cost growth. The [ministry] believes it will not fall into the same trap on the carriers,” the committee notes.

The Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, responded to the report by saying: “The Type 45 will be the largest, most powerful air defence destroyer ever built for the Royal Navy. It will set new standards in air defence, capable of defending its company from multiple attacks by the most sophisticated anti-ship missiles and aircraft.”

He also added, “by the time she enters service, the Type 45 will already have proven a level of anti-air warfare performance significantly higher than any other ship. Against this background, the government is surprised and disappointed that the Committee does not recognise the extensive trials that have taken place. In these circumstances, the use of the word ‘disgrace’ obviously makes no sense at all and is absurd.”

Half the number for the same job

The Royal Navy originally intended to procure 12 Type 45 air defence destroyers, designed to replace its Type 42s. However, revised requirements and budgetary pressures saw this number cut, at first, to eight. The report now stated that because of reduced threats, revised planning assumptions and an intended improved network capability, this number may further shrink to just six vessels. However, the reduction in the number of destroyers from eight to six means it will be more challenging for the Department to meet its policy requirement of five destroyers available for tasking at any time, the report states.

Of the six Type 45 Destroyers, four ships are in the water (Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon) while the other two vessels (Defender, Duncan) will be launched in late 2009 and 2010, respectively. The First of Class (HMS Daring) is currently completing final MOD managed trials and acceptance prior to entering service with the Royal Navy in 2010. The remaining ships will enter service progressively through the middle of the next decade.

The prime role of the Type 45 Destroyer will be air defence: protecting UK national and allied/coalition forces against enemy aircraft and missiles. It will carry the world-leading Sea Viper Missile System designed by EUROPAAMS, a joint venture between Eurosam (66%) and MBDA subsidiary UKAMS (33%) as well as the Sampson multi-function radar, built by BAE Systems INSYTE. The Type 45 warship’s prime contractor is BVT Surface Fleet Ltd.

Source: Defence Professionals

29 June 2009

St. Petersburg: Russia will participate in an open tender for the supply of next-generation diesel-electric submarines to the Indian Navy, according to a senior official of the Russian state arms export agency.

“We will offer India an export version of the Lada class diesel submarine - the Amur class vessel. We will take part in the Indian tender when it is announced with these submarines or vessels of another class,” said Oleg Azizov, who is leading Rosoboronexport’s delegation at the International Maritime Defense Show 2009 in St. Petersburg.

“We have a bilateral cooperation agreement [in the military-technical sphere] until 2020, which includes the possibility of supplying submarines to this country,” Azizov added.

Amur Class

The Project-677, or Lada class, diesel submarine, whose export version is known as the Amur 1650, amongst other things, features a new anti-sonar coating for its hull, an extended cruising range, and advanced anti-ship and anti-submarine weaponry, including the Klub-S integrated cruise missile systems.

The project’s general designer Yuri Kormilitsin has said: “The submarine has been conceived as a kind of an underwater sea hunter, capable of destroying any target – surface naval ships, transport vessels, or submarines – using torpedoes, missiles, mines and also with the help of frogmen.”

The use of state-of-the-art acoustic protection systems and original engineering innovations on Amur-class submarines will make them several times quieter than the earlier Project 877 Kilo-class submarines, a number of which currently serve with the Indian Navy.

Control of the submarine, its armament and equipment is highly automated and carried out from operators’ consoles concentrated in the main control room.

While the Project 877 EKM submarines represent an earlier, third, generation of submarines, the Amur-class are represent the fourth generation.

The Amur will be available in two classes - the 950 and the 1650.

The 950 comes equipped with 10 vertical universal missile launchers, capable of launching the Klub-S anti-ship\land attack missiles. These could also be adjusted to take onboard the Indo-Russian BrahMos submarine-launched supersonic cruise missile.

The entire salvo of 10 missiles can be launched in duration of two minutes.

Source: domain-b.com

Drops LCS In Favor of German Design

By barbara opall-rome
Published: 29 June 2009

TEL AVIV - In a radical revamp of its surface fleet modernization program, the Israel Navy has shelved long-held plans to purchase Lockheed Martin-produced Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), as well as a fallback option involving corvetees built by Northrop Grumman.

Instead, sources say, the Navy is pushing to establish a combat shipbuilding industry through customized, locally built versions of a German corvette design.

Now in an exploration phase, the concept calls for a stretched, approximately 2,200-ton version of the Meko A-100 built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), the Hamburg-based consortium building two Dolphin-class submarines for the Israel Navy. Countries that are building or now operating the 1,650-ton German-designed corvette include Malaysia and Poland.

Defense and industry sources said Navy discussions with TKMS about a possible licensed co-production deal began in January and have steadily expanded to involve Israel’s Ministry of Defense, Treasury, relevant lawmakers and industry executives.

Under the plan, at least two ships would be produced at Israel Shipyards in Haifa, with state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) a likely candidate for lead systems integrator. Each ship, and anticipated options for follow-on builds, would be integrated “with the maximum amount of local capabilities specifically designed to our operational requirements,” said an Israel Navy flag officer.

“One of the things we put on the table is how to vector our urgent operational needs into a project that can support local industry,” the officer said. “We believe a strong case can be made for making this into a national project that fosters self-sufficiency and provides all the economic benefits that come with creating a military shipbuilding industry.”

In an interview earlier this month, the senior naval officer said the revamped acquisition concept was driven by the prohibitive price tag of its preferred LCS-I (Israel) option.

Military, defense and industry sources here noted that since the Navy began pursuing LCS, unit costs surged from $220 million to $375 million to current U.S. Navy estimates, presented to the U.S. Congress in May, of $637 million. And while U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin officials repeatedly maintained that rising U.S. costs for the full multimission system would have only a marginal impact on the Israeli program, which focused primarily on HM&E (hull, mechanical and electrical) equipment, experts here concluded otherwise.

Read the full article here: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4160683&c=FEA&s=CVS

17:0226/06/2009

ST. PETERSBURG, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - The world’s largest Typhoon-class submarines will remain in service with the Russian Navy, the Navy commander said on Friday.

The Typhoon-class submarine is a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that entered service with the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. Three of the six vessels built remain commissioned.

“We will keep these submarines in service,” Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said.

The Dmitry Donskoy submarine has been modernized as a test platform for Russia’s new Bulava missile.

Two other vessels, the Arkhangelsk and the Severstal, remain in reserve at a naval base in Severodvinsk in north Russia awaiting overhaul. They will most likely be modernized to carry new-generation sea-based cruise missiles to match the U.S. Ohio-class submarines.

The Typhoons will be replaced in the future with the new Borey-class nuclear-powered strategic submarines, which will be equipped with Bulava sea-based ballistic missiles.

June 24, 2009

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Inventory Control Point for the refurbishment of radomes for the EA-6B fighter jet. The initial award value is $2 million with a total potential value of $10 million over five years if all options are exercised.

According to Senior Program Manager Daran Eastridge, “We produce a wide array of radomes ranging from fighter and cargo aircraft noses, wings, tails and fuselages to commercial nose weather radomes and radomes for specialized applications. Our experience on both commercial and military aircraft creates value for our customers.”

Engineers at General Dynamics’ Marion, Va., facility will refurbish existing EA-6B radomes. The work will include quality inspection, cleaning, fabrication and painting. The refurbished radomes will be used onboard EA-6B aircraft for both the Navy and the Marine Corps.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ site in Marion produces a wide variety of products to support commercial and military aerospace applications. Work at the site includes the design, development and manufacturing of aircraft radomes, advanced aircraft composite structures and mobile shelter systems. Products include: aircraft radomes, missile and ground-based platforms, control surfaces, fairings, engine components, landing gear, weapons bay doors, primary helicopter structures, and lightweight composite vehicle-mounted shelter systems. The site spans three state-of-the-art facilities which house approximately one million square feet of manufacturing space. More information is available online at www.gdatp.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,900 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

# # #

Source: General Dynamics

17 June 2009

LAST month she was the fastest Type 42 (and probably still is), this month HMS York was the loudest and she let rip with Sea Dart during trials in the Outer Hebrides ranges.

The launch of the destroyer’s primary weapon (circa £500,000 apiece…) against target drones was the latest step in the regeneration of the White Rose warship following a substantial refit.

And talking of white roses… From north-west Scotland the ship headed to the city for which she is named and for two important acts in the latest stage of the destroyer’s proud life.

Given her size, York cannot navigate the Ouse; the closest she can realistically get is Kingston-upon-Hull on the Humber 40 miles away. And it was there, surrounded by affiliates, family and supporters, that the destroyer was rededicated.

The inclement weather ensured the ceremony was conducted in the less-than-spacious hangar. Youngest crewman AB(CIS) Benn Sievewright and Leonie Staley, the wife of CO Cdr Simon Staley, cut the rededication cake, while the Worshipful Company of Farmers presented the ‘father’ of the ship’s company, Executive Warrant Officer WO1 David Smith, with a sterling silver jug, reward for his outstanding contribution to leadership on board.

With the ceremony done, the rededication party decamped up the A1079 to join the rest of the ship’s company who were already enjoying the hospitality of Yorkshire’s county town (legend has it there’s a different pub in the city for every day of the year…).

It wasn’t merely the locals who were kind to the sailors there; so too were the gods. The weather cleared up as the ship’s company formed up for a freedom parade around the streets of the historic walled city.

The sailors were guided through York by the Royal Signals (Northern) Band of the Territorial Army and Lord Mayor Cllr David Gemmell took the salute from Lt Sean Trevethan, Officer of the Guard.

The marchers were accompanied by rapturous applause as they pounded the streets in full ceremonial fashion – drums beating, bayonets fixed, swords drawn, Colours flying.

“This was our opportunity to determine the legacy of HMS York and it is beholden on all of us to ensure that legacy is worthy of the name HMS York,” Cdr Staley declared as the parade ended on the square in front the famous Minster.

“We want to ensure the people of Yorkshire are rightly proud of us.

“It is a very proud moment to represent Her Majesty as the commanding officer not just of any ship, but the finest in the Fleet, and I am also proud to present a ship’s company who are loyal, professional, selfless and hard-working.”

After a blessing by the Chaplain of the Fleet, the Ven John Green, and Padre Ralph Barber, Chaplain to the Portsmouth Flotilla, the sailors dispersed – possibly to one of those hostelries.

After a spot of maintenance, summer leave and Operational Sea Training, the destroyer will sail south before the year’s end to take over from her sister Gloucester in the Falklands.

Source: Navy News

TEWKSBURY, Mass., June 8, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) was awarded a $217 million U.S. Navy contract for two Volume Search Radar (VSR) arrays for the Zumwalt-class destroyer program and the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

“This contract demonstrates the Navy’s continuing confidence in the maturity of this radar technology and the capability of the industry team to deliver the Zumwalt-class radar suite and combat system,” said Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems’ (IDS) Michael Sosin, Zumwalt program manager and vice president of Integrated Warfare Systems.

The Navy’s Dual Band Radar combines the benefits of S-band and X-band radar capabilities to provide superior performance in a wide range of environments, while its innovative open architecture software design allows automatic operation with minimal human intervention. The S-band VSR radar arrays, built by Lockheed Martin, are integrated with Raytheon’s SPY-3 X-band Multi-Function Radar to form the advanced DBR, which is currently undergoing testing at the Navy’s Engineering Test Center, Wallops Island, Va.

Under the contract, Raytheon will procure long-lead materials for the VSR and will manufacture, test and deliver the radar system for the CVN 78 to support carrier air operations. The contract includes an option to produce a second VSR unit for the Zumwalt-class destroyer program.

Work will be performed at Raytheon’s Surveillance and Sensor Center, Sudbury, Mass., and Lockheed Martin, Moorestown, N.J.

Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon’s leader in Global Capabilities Integration, providing affordable, integrated solutions to a broad international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland Security.

Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

Contact:
Carolyn Beaudry
401.842.3550

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

June 18, 2009: Back in 2005, after years of negotiations, India signed a deal to buy six French Scorpene class diesel-electric submarines. But now problems have developed. The first Scorpene was supposed to enter service by 2012, at a cost of about $500 million. But political and management problems have delayed that date by two years, and raised the price per boat by over $100 million. The French have raised the prices for some key components, and India has had some problems in getting production going on their end. The first Scorpene was to be built in France, with the other five built in India.

The Scorpenes are similar to the Agosta 90B subs (also French) that Pakistan recently bought. The first of the Agosta’s was built in France, but the other two were built in Pakistan. The third Pakistani Agosta was delayed over a year because Islamic terrorists had killed some of the French engineers working on the project. The Scorpene purchase was seen as a response to the Pakistani Agostas.

The two designs are similar, with the Scorpene being more recent (and the result of cooperation between a French and a Spanish firm.) The Agosta is a 1,500 ton (surface displacement) diesel-electric sub with a 36 man crew and four 21 inch torpedo tubes (with 20 torpedoes and/or anti-ship missiles carried.) The Scorpene is a little heavier (1700 tons), has a smaller crew (32) and is a little faster. It has six 21 inch torpedo tubes, and carries 18 torpedoes and/or missiles.

Both models can be equipped with an AIP (air independent propulsion) system. This enables the sub to stay under longer, thus making the sub harder to find. AIP allows the sub to travel under water for more than a week, at low speed (5-10 kilometers an hour). The Pakistanis have an option to retrofit AIP in their current two Agostas.

Both of these modern subs are very lethal weapons against surface warships. With well trained crews, Agostas and Scorpenes can get close to just about any surface ship, no matter how good the defenders anti-submarine defenses are. But it’s the AIP boats that are the real killers. Without AIP, subs spend most of their time just below surface, using their diesel engines (via a snorkel device that breaks the surface to take in air, and get rid of the engine exhaust.) Snorkels can be spotted by modern maritime patrol aircraft, and both nations are getting more of these. The introduction of the Agostas and Scorpenes was seen as an escalation in the naval arms race between Pakistan and India.

While India was largely concerned with the Pakistani navy when the Scorpene contract was negotiated and signed, China is now seen as the primary adversary. The Chinese subs are not as effective as the Pakistani boats, both because of less advanced technology, and less well trained crews. India could use their Scorpenes to confront any Chinese attempt to expand their naval presence into the Indian ocean. Thus the delays and cost overruns with the Scorpenes are causing quite a lot of commotion in India.

Source: Strategy Page

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., June 1, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) demonstrated the ability to communicate in real time with a submerged submarine at classified speeds and depths.

This capability, which addresses one of the most significant shortfalls in submarine communications, was exhibited for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy during an at-sea trial of Raytheon’s Deep Siren Tactical Paging (DSTP) system.

The U.K. Ministry of Defence reported that Deep Siren demonstrated “the first step toward a transformational capability that will change the way we operate submarines in the future.”

The evaluation, which took place during the U.K. Royal Navy’s TAURUS 09 deployment, follows U.S. Navy testing conducted in 2008 that culminated with a successful military utility assessment.

Raytheon is also currently working on airborne certification of Deep Siren, which will allow the system’s buoys to be deployed via aircraft.

“The Deep Siren system is a vital command and control communications link that provides never-before available capability,” said Jerry Powlen, vice president, Network Centric Systems Integrated Communications Systems. “This system once again demonstrated its utility and reliability, proving that we are ready to move forward with production.”

The trial validated that DSTP system buoys can be used to communicate with submarines at underwater ranges significantly greater than 100 nautical (115 statute) miles. It also demonstrated that Deep Siren can significantly accelerate the process to communicate with a submarine by passing tactical messages between a commander and submarine in real time. The U.K. Royal Navy used Deep Siren to share contact information with a submarine, providing positions for both friendly and enemy forces.

Raytheon’s partners on the DSTP system are RRK Technologies, Ltd. and Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems.

Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

TAURUS 09 is a routine deployment of the Royal Navy’s Amphibious Task Group. Raytheon’s Deep Siren system employs expendable buoys that, when contacted through the Iridium satellite network, enable long-range underwater communications using acoustic signals.

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

Web site: http://www.raytheon.com/

Press Releases

Jun 15, 2009

Awards include 20mm and 30mm Training and Tactical Ammunition

ATK Produces Over Eight Million Rounds of Medium-Caliber Ammunition Annually

MINNEAPOLIS, June 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) has received $31 million in awards under two contracts from the U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Contracting Center, Rock Island, Ill., to produce 20mm and 30mm tactical and training ammunition.

Under the first award, ATK will deliver 20mm Mk244 Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS) rounds for the U.S. Navy 20mm Phalanx anti-missile system. The award consists of a base year with four option years and deliveries beginning in December 2009. The Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) is a fast-reaction, rapid-fire 20mm gun system that provides U.S. Navy ships with a terminal defense against anti-ship missiles that have penetrated other fleet defenses.

Under a separate award, ATK will deliver 30mm PGU-15 Target Practice (TP) ammunition for the U.S. Air Force’s A-10 Warthog. Deliveries on the multiple-year contract begin in 2010. Specifically designed for close air support against a variety of ground targets, the A-10’s combination of large and varied ordnance load, long loiter time, accurate weapons delivery, austere field capability, and survivability has proven invaluable to the United States and its allies. ATK’s Mesa, Ariz. facility was awarded the contracts. Production will take place at the company’s facilities in Lake City, Mo., Radford, Va., and Rocket Center, W.Va.

ATK produces more than eight million rounds of medium-caliber ammunition per year, including the revolutionary air bursting rounds it developed for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and a complete suite of ammunition for ATK’s new Lightweight 25mm chain gun.

ATK is a premier aerospace and defense company with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and revenues in excess of $4.7 billion. News and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com.

Certain information discussed in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although ATK believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Among those factors are: assumptions related to the volume of ammunition delivered under the IDIQ contract; changes in governmental spending, budgetary policies and product sourcing strategies; the company’s competitive environment; the terms and timing of awards and contracts; and economic conditions. ATK undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. For further information on factors that could impact ATK, and statements contained herein, please refer to ATK’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: ATK

6/17/2009 9:43:08 AM

GE Marine announced that the United States Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) recently awarded GE a contract for ONR’s DDG 51 Fuel Efficient and Power Dense Demonstrator competition.

“This project will develop and demonstrate the technology necessary to enable substantial annual fuel savings by cross-connecting the currently independent main propulsion system and the ship service electrical system, creating a hybrid mechanical–electric drive power plant,” said GE Marine’s General Manager, Brien Bolsinger, Evendale, Ohio. “The system modifications proposed by GE have the potential to increase ship service electric power capacity, improve power quality and add redundancy,” Bolsinger added.

Currently the DDG 51 main propulsion and ship service configuration consists of four GE LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines and three ship service turbine-generators, with four engines on line during the majority of underway operations. GE will demonstrate that the modified system will save fuel by meeting all the ship power requirements at low and moderate speeds with a reduced quantity of gas turbines operating. GE expects a better match between the power available and the load, allowing the gas turbines to operate more efficiently.

GE’s program calls for system integration, component and control technology development and a partial system demonstration. GE believes this technology combines the best features of both electric and mechanical drive systems and has broad application to other ship classes.

GE will conduct a laboratory demonstration of the key electrical system features to investigate and validate the bi-directional drive technology and control logics for the electrical and propulsion subsystems. GE will use an existing test facility at its Global Research Center in Niskayuna, New York, which is equipped for megawatt-level testing.

Source: Maritime Today

By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jun 16, 2009 18:17:18 EDT

The Navy has few small-ship options if its littoral combat ship program continues to lag behind schedule, the service’s top requirements officer said Tuesday, because the fleet’s frigates are too old or maxed-out on equipment to upgrade further.

Vice Adm. Barry McCullough told lawmakers at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s seapower subcommittee that the fleet’s Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates’ hulls were rusting and wearing thin, that the ships couldn’t bear the weight of additional weapons or sensors, and that it generally wouldn’t be worth trying to extend their lives to have them around in place of the planned LCS platforms the Navy thought it would have by now.

“The ships have been great,” McCullough said of the frigates — he told Navy Times after the hearing “they’re doing God’s work,” and that he “had nothing against frigate sailors” — but, he told lawmakers, “upgrading them would provide little return on investment.”

Also, the frigates can only accommodate the SH-60B variant of the Navy’s workhorse Seahawk helicopter, which is scheduled to leave the fleet in 2017. But LCS is designed to carry the SH-60R and -S Seahawk variants — helicopters that are vital to its ability to do its jobs because LCS carries no onboard sonar, surface-to-surface missiles, torpedo launchers or mine-countermeasure gear, and needs its helicopter for those weapons or sensors. So even as-is frigates today couldn’t accommodate the anti-submarine, anti-mine or anti-surface equipment designed to fly on a helicopter carried by an LCS.

The topic of potential frigate upgrades was broached by Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., as part of a larger discussion by the subcommittee concerning problems the Navy has had building LCS. Martinez and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, asked the Navy witnesses whether the service could still do the jobs meant for the LCS it had planned on having by now, even though none are operational.

(The first littoral combat ship, Freedom, is undergoing testing at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.; the second, Independence, has yet to sail for sea trials, although the Navy hopes to commission it this fall. Although Navy officials are studying the notion that Freedom could make an early, short, trial deployment, its formal schedule doesn’t call for it to deploy until 2012.)

Yes, the Navy’s mine countermeasure ships and frigates can hold on for a few more years, said McCullough and the other witness, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Sean Stackley.

But many of the fleet’s minesweepers ships are in bad shape — the commanding officer of the Devastator was fired earlier this year because his ship was in such poor condition. And, after the hearing, McCullough described the long metal bars on the hulls of many frigates at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., which help strengthen metal that has rusted and thinned faster than engineers anticipated.

According to one analysis, under the Navy’s original plan it should now have 13 LCS platforms in the fleet and be requesting six in the fiscal 2010 budget request. But beyond Freedom and Independence, it has ordered one of each additional variety, a Freedom-class ship named Forth Worth and an Independence-class ship named Coronado. It is asking for three more ships in its fiscal 2010 request.

Source: Military Times

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 26, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $54 million U.S. Navy contract to retrofit Super Hornet block II aircraft with APG-79 active electronically scanned array radars.

The award by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., calls for APG-79 AESA radars to be retrofitted into lots 26 to 29 of the F/A-18E/F aircraft. The units will replace the APG-73 radars currently installed in the aircraft, ensuring that pilots and aircrews are equipped with the most advanced technology available.

“Raytheon’s reliable, high-performance radar systems provide an affordable means for fleets to optimize fighter capabilities,” said Tom Kennedy, vice president for Tactical Airborne Systems. “The added reliability and maintainability of the APG-79 result in lower life-cycle costs and enhanced capabilities for the Navy.”

Raytheon has delivered 134 AESA radars to the Navy for the Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft. With this latest contract, orders for the retrofit of the 133 block II F/A-18s now total 38.

Work on the retrofit program will be performed in Forest, Miss.; Dallas; El Segundo; and Andover, Mass., and is expected to be completed in December 2010.

Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

www.raytheon.com

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

Story Highlights
-The array was damaged, but the sub and the ship did not collide
-Navy does not believe it was a deliberate incident of Chinese harassment
-Navy has complained of Chinese vessels disrupting U.S. naval activities

Fri June 12, 2009

From Barbara Starr
CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) — In what a U.S. military official calls an “inadvertent encounter,” a Chinese submarine hit an underwater sonar array being towed by the destroyer USS John McCain on Thursday.

The array was damaged, but the sub and the ship did not collide, the official said. A sonar array is a radar towed behind a ship that listens and locates underwater sounds.

The incident occurred near Subic Bay off the coast of the Philippines.

The official, who declined to be named because the incident had not been made public, would not say whether the U.S. ship knew the submarine was that close to it.

However, the Navy does not believe this was a deliberate incident of Chinese harassment, as it would have been extremely dangerous had the array gotten caught in the submarine’s propellers.

The Navy has complained in the past that Chinese vessels, including fishing boats, have deliberately tried to disrupt U.S. naval activities in international waters near China. In one widely publicized incident in March, five Chinese vessels maneuvered close enough to the USNS Impeccable to warrant the use of a fire hose by the unarmed American vessel to avoid a collision. The Navy later released video of that incident.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Daewoo International Corp., a major Korean trading company, said yesterday it was bidding to export two submarines to the Indonesian navy this year. The company is pushing to boost its arms sales.

If Daewoo succeeds in clinching the deal — which could be valued at $1.2 billion — it would be the first time that Korea will have sold submarines to a foreign country.

They said Daewoo is competing with three countries — Russia, Germany and France — for the tender, whose official bidding date has been set for June 17.

Source: Naval Open Source Intelligence

18:00
10/06/2009

BALABANOVO, June 10 (RIA Novosti) - The Defense Ministry plans to complete sea trials of a new diesel Lada-class submarine this year, a military official said on Wednesday.

“The Navy will complete trials of the Lada-class submarine equipped with new sonar systems in 2009,” said Maj. Gen. Alexander Shevchenko, in charge of the Armed Forces’ armaments maintenance and support.

A deputy head of the Navy General Staff said in March that the first Lada-class would enter service with the Russian Navy in 2010.

The Project 677 diesel submarine, developed by the Rubin design bureau, features an advanced anti-sonar coating for its hull, an extended cruise range, and advanced anti-ship and anti-submarine weaponry, including Club-S cruise missile systems.

The construction of the sub began in 1997 at St. Petersburg’s Admiralty Shipyards. Two other submarines of the same class - the Kronshtadt and the Sevastopol - are being built by the company.

The Lada-class vessels will gradually replace the Kilo class submarines, which are sometimes called “Black Holes” for their ability to avoid detection, and are considered to be among the quietest diesel-electric submarines in the world.

The Russian Navy is planning to have a total of eight Lada-class submarines in the future.

Story Number: NNS090605-10
Release Date: 6/5/2009 2:38:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (AW) Maebel Ysog Tinoko, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest

PORTLAND, Ore. (NNS) — The guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86), along with three Royal Canadian Navy ships and two U.S. Coast Guard cutters, arrived pierside in Portland to celebrate the annual festivities of the Rose Festival June 4-8.

“I’m really looking forward to coming back to my home town for the Rose Festival and being able to show the ship to all my family and friends,” said Hull Maintenance Technician 1st Class (SW/AW) John Grady, a native of Portland.

Throughout the week, Sailors will have an opportunity to enjoy premier events of the festival including the Centennial Grand Floral Parade, which features all-floral floats, live music, food, entertainment, marching bands and various sports competitions among ships.

“I have great memories of the Rose Festival as a kid; our family would go almost every year,” said Ensign Janel Hansen, from Kaiser, Ore. “I loved visiting the ships, so this year it will be interesting to see it from the other side.”

Navy warships have been coming to the City of Roses since USS Charleston’s visit in 1907 and are considered a highlight of the festival.

Source: U.S Navy