New Zealand may purchase up to four Boeing P-8A Poseidon

Defence Minister Ron Mark one step closer to replacing old military planes


LAURA WALTERS

Defence Minister Ron Mark is one step closer to making the biggest defence procurements in recent years.

Mark will take his proposal to purchase up to four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes from the United States to the Cabinet Government Administration and Expenditure Review Committee on Tuesday.

The planes, which would replace replace its retiring P-3 maritime patrol fleet, could cost up to US$1.4 billion (NZ$2.03 billion).This would be one of the most significant purchases, since the frigate upgrade.

However, the New Zealand Defence Force says the price is likely to be less than that.

Once the Cabinet committee had seen the proposal, it would have to go to Cabinet, before a decision on the purchase was made. There was no set date for the proposal to go to cabinet, but Mark said that was expected to happen before the end of July.

During a Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee hearing earlier this month, Mark said he had to start "from scratch" on the procurement plan, when he took on the job as minister, last year.

While the former National government had started the process, Mark said there was nothing to suggest there had been a paper taken to cabinet committee or Cabinet, and he would not endorse a recommendation, without understanding the decision-making process.

"I am confident now that the recommendation I will take to Cabinet committee stacks up, that it is robust, it's justifiable and I'm in the stage where I am consulting with people," he said.

"So my closing comment, not being able to pre-judge what the Cabinet committee or Cabinet might decide, because that is for me to put the case down, I would simply say, put your cellphones in flight mode, put your tray up, buckle in, hold on, it's coming."

In the briefing to the incoming minister, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the Ministry of Defence said fleet of six P-3K2 Orions had undertaken military deployments and contributed to stewardship of New Zealand's maritime area of responsibility for the past 60 years.

"The aircraft and their sensors have been upgraded several times but they are now beyond further upgrades."

The Defence White Paper 2016 concluded the Orions needed to be replaced in the mid-2020s.

Meanwhile, official papers release to RNZ found NZDF spent about $360 million on maintenance and repairs of the ageing aircraft over the past 10 years, twice as much as in the previous decade.

In 2008, keeping the planes fit for purpose cost about $24m. Two years ago the cost spiked over $50m, and this year the bill is more than $43m.

Mark said he did not want to be criticised for the decisions he made during his time as minister, especially considering NZDF personnel would have to deal with the equipment for 30 years.

He said he had also reviewed National's Defence White Paper from 2016, and a Defence Policy Statement would be produced early next month.

 - Stuff

Source: stuff.co.nz

Japanese are losing out on the P-1 sub hunter bad

Related articles:

Boeing P-8 Poseidon in the Mix for New Zealand Requirement

Congress Notified on $1.46B P-8A Poseidon Deal with New Zealand

Kawasaki P-1 and C-2 offered to New Zealand

P-8A Poseidon: Details

US may offer India THAAD air defence system to block S-400 deal

NCO Journal


US may offer air defence system to block S-400 deal with Russia


By Pranab Dhal Samanta, ET Bureau|Jun 26, 2018, 11.17 PM IST

NEW DELHI: The United States may try to persuade India to consider its ballistic missile defence options in an attempt to keep it from pressing ahead with the S-400 deal with Russia. 

ET has learnt that the US could make ballistic missile defence an agenda point in the upcoming Indo-US 2+2 dialogue on July 6 for which external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be in Washington. 

The likely option on the table would be the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. It is a sophisticated missile defence system which is believed to be particularly effective against long-range missiles. 

The S-400 missile defence system is, however, said to be effective against a larger array of aerial attacks, particularly fighter aircraft such as the F-18s and F-35s. The latest version of the Russian made S-400 has a longer range but the jury is out on whether it’s more effective than the THAAD against intermediate range and intercontinental ballistic missile systems. 

ET has gathered that India’s proposed S-400 purchase from Russia has prompted a reassessment within Trump administration on whether India would have gone ahead with the nearly Rs 39,000-crore deal with Russia had the US moved faster with the THAAD offer.......Continue reading: HERE

The THAAD other than being more expensive is no match for the S-400 in overall capability.

Related articles:
US to India: Buy American, Not Russian

India to US: Sanctions won’t stop Russian air-defense system purchase

Amid risk of US sanction, India, Russia conclude advanced missile deal

India prefers Russian S-400 systems to American Patriot lemons

THAAD missile defense: Details

S-400 missile system: Details

Israel rolls out second Eitan prototype

iHLS Israel Homeland Security iHLS

Yaakov Lappin, Tel Aviv - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

26 June 2018
   
The Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) has announced that a second prototype of the Eitan wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) has been produced.

It said on 17 June that the new version has been developed on the basis of lessons learned from the first prototype, which went through a series of trials with infantry units in various types of terrain.

The MoD said the second version will have a different 750-hp engine and its body has been changed to improve protection for the crew and the on-board systems. Improvements have also been made in its steering, electrical systems, transmission, wheels, and brakes.

Source: janes.com

defenseupdate
Published on Apr 10, 2018
“Eitan” APC undergoes test series

Eitan Armored personnel carrier: Details

The French Air Force (Armée de l’Air: AdlA) retires its Dassault Mirage 2000N

Dassault Mirage 2000N - French internet image

France retires Mirage 2000N nuclear bomber


Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

25 June 2018

The French Air Force (Armée de l’Air: AdlA) marked the retirement of its Dassault Mirage 2000N nuclear-capable strike aircraft on 21 June.

A ceremonial flypast to mark the withdrawal of the aircraft after 30 years of service was held at the type’s homebase of Istres-Le Tubé, in southern France. The type will reportedly be withdrawn over the coming weeks.

The removal of the aircraft that first became operational in 1988 marks another milestone in the AdlA’s transition to an all-Rafale combat aviation fleet.

Source: janes.com

Related articles:
A French Mirage 2000D accidentally bombed a factory in the French town of Loiretaine Nogent-sur-Vernisson
France modernizing its Mirage 2000D fighters

Mirage 2000: Details

Australia will buy six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime unmanned aerial systems

defence.gov.au

BREAKING – Govt to announce acquisition of six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton UAS


June 26, 2018 by Andrew McLaughlin

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will today formally announce that Australia will buy six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime unmanned aerial systems (MUAS).

The long-running project AIR 7000 Phase 1B requirement for an MUAS capability was reportedly approved by the National Security Committee (NSC) of Cabinet on June 19, and came just two weeks after the US Navy’s first two Tritons entered service at NAS Point Mugu in California and are preparing to commence an early operational capability (EOC) from Guam later this year.

The initial $1.4 billion program cost will cover the first of the six planned aircraft, and will include $364 million for the construction of new operational and support facilities at RAAF bases Edinburgh near Adelaide and Tindal in the Northern Territory, and an initial ground support equipment, training and spares package.

It also includes a $200 million investment in the US Navy-led Triton co-operative development program which will give Australia a seat at the table for future capability enhancements for the Triton, including the ‘Multi-INT’ signals intelligence package.

Australia has long-held an interest in acquiring an MUAS to work in conjunction with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, 12 of a projected 15 which have been ordered under Project AIR 7000 Phase 2.

The 1987 White Paper stated a requirement for a “manifest capability” to conduct surveillance of Australia’s vast sea and air approaches, a capability which must provide the means to detect, identify and if necessary respond to sea and air activity in our sovereign air and sea space.

As technology improved, the 1994 White Paper noted that a promising area of investigation is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance of land and maritime environments. That ISR capability finally seemed within reach when Global Hawk was developed by Ryan Aeronautical, now part of Northrop Grumman, to meet a US Air Force requirement for broad area overland surveillance to initially complement and eventually replace the manned Lockheed U-2.

The first of more than 40 Global Hawks flew in February 1998, and a number of early Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) systems were pressed into operational service in 2001 immediately following the 9/11 attacks on the US.

Global Hawk’s ability to fly intercontinental distances was amply demonstrated in April 2001 when an ACTD – temporarily dubbed Southern Cross II to honour the first Pacific crossing in 1928 – flew non-stop from Edwards AFB in California to RAAF Edinburgh, covering the 13,219 kilometres in 22-hours. That was the first pilotless aircraft to cross the Pacific, and a world record for absolute distance flown by a UAV.

In July 2006 the Howard government gave First Pass approval for participation in the cooperative development of a maritime Global Hawk with the US Navy, and in 2008, a ‘navalised’ Global Hawk won the US Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) requirement.

The Triton differs from the RQ-4B Global Hawk by having a stiffer wing, leading edge and engine intake de-icing, lightning and bird-strike protection, and the AN/ZPY-3 Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS). Later enhancements will see a combined air-to-air sense-and-avoid/weather radar sensor added for operations in controlled airspace, and the Multi-INT sensor package.

The Rudd government’s 2009 Defence White Paper made the key commitments towards achieving a mixed fleet of manned and unmanned maritime patrol aircraft – eight manned aircraft and up to seven large, high altitude, long endurance (HALE) UAVs. But later that same year the government reversed course and instead deferred its involvement in BAMS, citing financial and manning pressures on the RAAF as it transitioned from the AP-3C to the P-8A.

The government confirmed its interest in acquiring the Triton by announcing in May 2013 that it had issued a Letter of Request (LOR) seeking further information from the US. A ministerial statement said the LOR would give Australia access to detailed information on the US Navy’s Triton, but emphasised that the release of an LOR had not yet committed Australia to purchasing the system.

In early 2014 the then new Abbott government gave the First Pass approval to acquire Triton, but the long-term schedule for the program remained somewhat ambiguous. Meanwhile, the 2013 Defence White Paper had committed to eight Boeing P-8A Poseidons, the first of which arrived in November 2016.

The most recent Defence White Paper published in early 2016 upped the number of P-8As from eight to 12 plus three more options. The 2016 document also confirmed the acquisition of seven MQ-4C Tritons.

Triton can fly at altitudes above 50,000 feet and has an endurance of more than 24 hours. From RAAF Tindal, a single Triton mission can cover well up into the South China Sea or all of the resource-rich Northwest Shelf area out to the Cocos Islands and beyond. From RAAF Edinburgh, a Triton can reach and cover most of Australia’s Antarctic coastal are of interest in a single mission.

Follow-on announcements for the contract and production of the remaining five systems, and the preferred in-service sustainment provider are expected to follow by mid-2019.

The first RAAF system is scheduled to be delivered in mid-2023, initial operating capability (IOC) is planned to follow 12 months later, and a fully operational capability (FOC) of all six systems is scheduled for mid-2025.

Max Blenkin contributed to this article.

Source: adbr.com.au

Related articles:

Australia Remotely Piloted Unmanned Aircraft Systems MQ-4C Triton Project

MQ-4C Triton: Details

Kongsberg to deliver ST2400 variable depth sonars for Finnish Hamina-class missile boats

Hamina-class missile boat - Finnish nternet images

The Finnish defense ministry has awarded Kongsberg Maritime a contract to deliver its ST2400 variable depth sonar (VDS) for the Hamina-class missile boats.

The contract was awarded to Kongsberg as part of the Squadron 2000 mid-life upgrade (MLU) program which will extend the missile boats’ service life to the 2030s.

This will ensure sufficient naval defense readiness in the 2020s after the decommissioning of Rauma-class FAC and before the Squadron 2020 corvettes enter service.

Kongsberg’s ST2400 VDS is designed to detect submarines, mines and unmanned underwater vehicles in littoral waters. The ST2400 VDS upgrade will enable the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability on all four Hamina-class vessels operating in the Baltics.

According to the company, the ST2400 VDS is a medium-frequency sonar designed with an emphasis on performance and operation in shallow waters. It features a compact design, weighing under 3 tonnes and can be rapidly deployed for high speed manoeuvring in addition to full stop (dipping mode).

“The Finnish Navy has been our key partner from the early development of the first ST240 VDS in the 90’s to the latest version of the ST2400 VDS that we have today,” Kongsberg Maritime Subsea Naval, director of sales, Thomas Hostvedt Dahle said. “It has been field tested in challenging conditions in the very shallow parts of the Baltics where reverberation issues and layers are dominant. We look forward to continue to improve and develop our system to operate in probably the world’s toughest ASW environment, together with the Finnish Navy.”



In addition to new sonars, the Hamina-class missile boats will also receive light torpedoes, Bofors 40 Mk4 naval guns, the Saab-built 9LV combat management system (CMS), a 9LV fire control system (FCS) including the Ceros 200 fire control director and the Trackfire remote weapon station (RWS). The Baltic state is also looking to acquire Harpoon and ESSM missile systems for both the Hamina-class boats and the new Squadron 2020 corvettes.

Source: navaltoday.com

Kongsberg’s ST2400 VDS 

ST 2400 - A towed variable depth active sonar for anti-submarine warfare specially designed for operations in shallow water. The towed unit contains a fixed cylindrical array operating from 20 to 30 kHz encapsulated in a robust hydrodynamic body. The variable depth sonar is used when met with challenging environmental conditions, enabling ASW below layer and to place the sonar at beneficial depth depending on the sound speed profile. The system has been designed to be light weight and compact in size in order to be installed on virtually any ship type and size. Source: kongsberg.com

Source: kongsberg.com

Related articles:

BAE Systems awarded 40 Mk4 Naval Gun contract for Finland

Finnish defense minister authorizes Hamina-class upgrades, torpedo system acquisition

Hamina Class: Details

Kongsberg awarded US$26.8m contract to deliver its Naval Strike Missile (NSM) to the navies of Germany and Norway

Naval Strike Missile (NSM)

Kongsberg gets $27m for German, Norwegian Naval Strike Missile deliveries


Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS has been awarded a 220 million NOK (approx. US$26.8m) contract to deliver its Naval Strike Missile (NSM) to the navies of Germany and Norway.

The contract was awarded to Kongsberg by the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency following a February 2017 agreement between Norway and Germany.

This contract is the first phase in this cooperation and has a duration of one year.

As announced in 2017, Kongsberg and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) will work together to further develop and field the missile on a number of German Navy vessels. This agreement also envisions a close cooperation on joint maintenance and logistics between the German and the Norwegian Navy.

“This contract is an important milestone in a long-term Norwegian-German cooperation on missiles. The NSM is a product of the unique triangle cooperation developed between the defense industry, FFI and the Armed Forces,” said Eirik Lie, president Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS.

In addition to the NSM, Germany and Norway are cooperating on the construction of four Type 212 CD (Common Design) submarines for Norway and two for Germany. A joint contract for the submarines is expected to be signed in 2019 with deliveries starting from the mid-2020s.

Kongsberg and TKMS subsidiary Atlas Elektronik have also established a joint venture, named kta naval systems, which will be the exclusive supplier of combat systems for the submarines.

Source: navaltoday.com

Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile: Details