Naval and Defense News

[kevinkins]

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/2 ... a-big-deal

and a summer reading list:

https://mwi.usma.edu/war-books-heres-mw ... ng-summer/

[Dysta]

CGTN accused US DoD for rogue behaviors against Russia and China’s affairs:

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-07-04/U ... 3wPCjAbu/l

[kevinkins]

https://taskandpurpose.com/iran-oil-tanker-seized

[xavierv]

The Italian Navy’s Strategic Planning and Fleet Composition Until 2034

The Italian Navy (Marina Militare) published an updated version of its 2019-2034 Strategic Planning (Linee Di Indirizzo Strategico 2019-2034) which outlines the future composition of its fleet and assets.

Main Naval Vessels

1 Aircraft carrier (550 Cavour)

4 Amphibious vessels (L9890 LHD Trieste + 3 LXD)

4 Destroyers (2 Horizon/Andrea Doria class + 2 new DDX)

10 Frigates (FREMM/Bergamini class)

7+8 Patrol Vessels (7 PPA/Paolo Thaon di Revel class + 8 EPC European Patrol Corvettes)

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... ntil-2034/

[Dide]

nice, when the new units go to database?

[xavierv]

French Navy CSG Ends Indo-Pacific Mission

The French Navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its escort are back in Toulon naval base, following a four month-long mission to the Indo-Pacific region.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... c-mission/

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Last Cruise for French Rubis-class SSN ‘Saphir’ – ‘Suffren’ About to Take Over

On July 3, 2019, the French Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) 'Saphir' reached the port of Cherbourg in Normandie for decommissioning. After 35 years of service, 'Saphir' will be the first of six Rubis-class SSNs to be retired from active duty at the end of July 2019. The Rubis-class will be replaced by the new Suffren-class / Barracuda type SSN with the first submarine set for launch on July 12th at Naval Group' shipyard in Cherbourg.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... take-over/

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French Defense Procurement Agency takes delivery of Fourth & Final Loire-class BSAM

The French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) took delivery of the fourth Metropolitan Offshore Support & Assistance Vessel (BSAM) on July 4th. Ordered in 2016 for the French Navy, the BSAM Garonne is the final ship of a class designed and built by the Kership shipyard.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... lass-bsam/

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US Navy Declares IOC for MQ-8C Fire Scout VTOL UAV

The U.S. Navy declared initial operational capability (IOC) of the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter June 28 clearing the way for fleet operations and training.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -vtol-uav/

[kevinkins]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9482610/i ... il-tanker/

[Dysta]

The SK and JP trade conflict deteriorating and get worse, it start to threaten their military cooperation too. However, not just Trump himself, the whole US is also just let this situation be. The East-Asia alliance that deter China is about to be broken:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/as ... story.html

[Scorpion86]

The Portuguese Government announced the decision to buy 5 Embraer KC-390 transport/tanker planes to replace its aging C-130 fleet. Portugal will become the KC-390's first export costumer. The KC-390 was partially designed and built in Portugal, through OGMA, a portuguese company part of the Embraer group and that has extensive experience in modernizing military aircraft for the Portuguese Air Force.

https://www.reuters.com/article/portuga ... SL8N24C41S

[Hongjian]

Type 054 Jiangkai-I class FFG 525 Ma'anshan is getting an MLU refit replacing its HHQ-7 SAM with HHQ-16 VLS launchers. It is expected that her sister ship FFG 526 Wenzhou also gets the same treatment. These two are the only hulls in this intermediate class anyway before the mass production began with the ubiquitous Type 054A Jiangkai-II class...



Before:

[xavierv]

French Navy’s New Generation SSN ‘Suffren’ Launched by Naval Group

The Barracuda class SSN will have a 70-day autonomy (compared to 45 currently) and will be able to carry 50% more weapons than its predecessors (including the naval cruise missile, the future F21 heavy-weight torpedo and the SM 39 anti-ship missile).

The Suffren-type SSN will be:

• more mobile thanks to its increased maximum silent speed and the reduced effects of hydrodynamic noise at high speed;
• more manoeuvrable with the X-shaped rudder of the steering gear assembly;
• stealthier with a higher maximum stealth speed, lower weight and consuming less energy with its steam/electric hybrid propulsion system, combining electric motors and propulsion turbines;

and feature cutting-edge systems:
• the most automated central control system ever implemented on a submarine;
• non-penetrating, all-optronic masts with high-definition daytime cameras, infra-red and light intensification cameras, which have replaced the traditional periscope.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... val-group/

Youtube link to the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezSdycMKufk

[xavierv]

China Launched 6 ASBM into the South China Sea

Details on the recent (July 1st) Chinese Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) launches in the South China Sea are beginning to surface.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... china-sea/

[kevinkins]

https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-navy-a ... -120-miles

[gregb41352]

Sorry Kevin but I don't believe anything that comes from Fox "News".

[kevinkins]

Rest easy, if you look closer it is actually a reprint from Warrior Maven. [;)]

[xavierv]

Italian Navy PPA to be Powered by Hybrid GE Propulsion System

The Italian Navy Paolo Thaon di Revel, the first of class PPA Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship is now in the water following its roll out ceremony at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Muggiano – La Spezia, Italy. The vessel will feature a hybrid GE LM2500+G4 gas turbine propulsion system.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... on-system/

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Qatar Coast Guard Inaugurates New Naval Base & Fleet

Qatar inaugurated a large naval base and new additions to its fleet during a ceremony on Sunday 14 July.

The ceremony was held in presence of Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani and commander of US Naval Forces in the Middle East Vice Admiral Jim Malloy.

The new base is located in Al-Daayen, about 30 kilometres North of Doha on Qatar’s eastern coast. Qatar new large gas terminal (and gas fields) is located in the Northern part of Qatar, and one of the main mission of the reinforced Coast Guard will be to secure these important resources.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... ase-fleet/

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More Details on Suffren – The French Navy Next Gen SSN – & on its Export SSK Variants

With the Suffren now unveiled during a grand ceremony attended by French President Emmanuel Macron himself, Yannick Smaldore takes a closer look at the key features of this next generation SSN... as well as at some of its conventional off springs for export.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -variants/

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DGA takes delivery of Final ASW FREMM Frigate ‘Normandie’

The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) took delivery of the FREMM Frigate Normandie from Naval Group. Normandie is the sixth and final anti-submarine warfare variant FREMM for the French Navy.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... normandie/

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JMU Launches ‘Haguro’ – Second Maya-class AEGIS Destroyer for the JMSDF

Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) today launched the second Maya-class guided missile destroyer for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The vessel is named "Haguro".

The previous vessel to bear this name was the famous heavy cruiser Haguro of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Commissioned in 1929, Haguro saw significant service during World War II, participating in nine naval engagements. She was sunk in 1945 during a fight with Royal Navy destroyers, one of the last major Japanese warships to be sunk in open waters during World War II.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... the-jmsdf/

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First Poseidon MRA Mk1 for United Kingdom takes flight

The first of nine maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) on order for the Royal Air Force has taken to the skies. The flight of the Poseidon MRA Mk1 (P-8A) was completed successfully at the hands of Boeing test pilots.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... es-flight/

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Royal Navy Tests Martlet Missile From Type 23 Frigate Against Asymmetric Threats

The Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Sutherland test fired four Martlet missiles against a fast moving surface target off the Welsh coast. Fitted on an MSI Defence 30mm RWS, the missile (also know as Thales LMM) is design to protect surface combatants against asymmetric threats.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... c-threats/

[Dysta]

One Type 904 ammo-auxiliary ship is recently decommissioned. It was a substitute as island and reef platforms resupplying purpose, but the island reclamations make short needs for such ship. The ship has the potential to transfer maritime authorities for island patrols.

https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/statu ... 8901528576

Also, three Type 053H1 in today’s standard has only one thing to remaining superior, is the 37 knots of top speed. Still, it cannot escape the fate to be decommissioned as well. China is no longer to keep using old vessels anymore. Despite the high potential of conversion into high-speed Coast Guard interceptor, the ship age and system insides are too old for future tasks:

https://twitter.com/dafengcao/status/11 ... 5073323008

And new ships are in the highest demand of PLAN today. Rick Joe from SinoDefenseForum has written an article on The Diplomat about the alleged Type 075 production, believed the first batch is 3 of those for initial production, which is a rare sight against Chinese’s cautious shipbuilding mindset. The ultimate purpose for Chinese LHD/LHA is unknown, but Rick has pointed at Taiwan with it’s guesstimate capabilities:

https://thediplomat.com/2019/07/the-fut ... ult-fleet/

EDIT: the decommissioned Type 904 is likely convert to a target ship for PLARF’s ASBMs.

[kevinkins]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/poli ... side-china

[Filitch]

Empire strikes back?
"I want to apprise everyone of an incident in the Strait of Hormuz today, involving #USSBoxer, a U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship. The BOXER took defensive action against an Iranian drone...."
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 5868051457

Iranian MoD doesn't confirm a loss of drone

[Dysta]

ORIGINAL: Filitch

Empire strikes back?
"I want to apprise everyone of an incident in the Strait of Hormuz today, involving #USSBoxer, a U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship. The BOXER took defensive action against an Iranian drone...."
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 5868051457

Iranian MoD doesn't confirm a loss of drone

Iran call it a bluff:

https://twitter.com/cgtnamerica/status/ ... 7327749120 (video)

Iran released a video it says proves that its drone was still flying after Trump says it was shot down.
Trump doubled down, saying it was "no doubt" shot down.
Who do you believe?