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Navy Recognition learned during the Surface Navy Association's (SNA) National Symposium held last week near Washington DC, that BAE Systems Inc met with the French Navy (Marine Nationale) in October last year to discuss how the 5-Inch Mark 45 could be the main naval gun system for the upcoming FTI medium sized frigate program currently in development.
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BAE Systems learned during the recent meeting that following operations in Libya, the French Navy found that their current 76mm and 100mm guns were insufficient in both range and lethality.
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“The Mk45 Mod 4, firing the HVP and SGP munitions, will provide a substantial increase in range, lethality and multi-mission capability compared to both the 76mm and 100mm systems and will provide a cost-effect alternative compared to missile systems” Perry stated.

Navy Recognition understands BAE System is offering the Mod 4 variant of the 5 Inch Mark 45 gun: It offers the most modern digital control system and longer 62 caliber barrel providing longer range (unguided range increased to 20 nautical miles or 37 Kilometers). The maximum range for 76mm and 100mm naval gun systems is approximately 9 nautical miles (16 km), unguided, with a much smaller warhead.

John Perry told us at SNA 2016 that “the Marine Nationale was very receptive to Mk 45 and its advanced ammunitions for the FTI Frigate”. In addition, BAE Systems representatives also met with French shipyard DCNS (the designer and future builder of the FTI Frigate) in December 2015 to support combat management system and ship integration studies. "The decision on the gun caliber for the FTI was considered an urgent matter in defining key characteristics of the combat system and ship design" Perry concluded.

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navyreco said:

Now that would be nice


BAE Systems Believes its 5 Inch Mk 45 is the Right Gun for ...

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navyreco said:

Now that would be nice


BAE Systems Believes its 5 Inch Mk 45 is the Right Gun for French Navy’s Future FTI Frigates

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Navy Recognition understands BAE System is offering the Mod 4 variant of the 5 Inch Mark 45 gun: It offers the most modern digital control system and longer 62 caliber barrel providing longer range (unguided range increased to 20 nautical miles or 37 Kilometers). The maximum range for 76mm and 100mm naval gun systems is approximately 9 nautical miles (16 km), unguided, with a much smaller warhead.

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BAE Systems learned during the recent meeting that following operations in Libya, the French Navy found that their current 76mm and 100mm guns were insufficient in both range and lethality

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Common missile the key to unlocking Tiger Mk3 upgrade

• 18 January, 2016
• BY: Dominic Perry
• London

France is hoping that talks with the three other operators of the Airbus Helicopters Tiger can reach consensus on a common missile that will form the heart of an upgrade programme for the attack rotorcraft to be fielded in around 2023 – even as it embarks on a nearer-term package of modifications.

So far, the nation’s army aviation branch has received 39 examples of the early HAP variant, along with 14 newer models configured to the more capable HAD standard. A further 17 of the latter are due to arrive by the end of 2017.

Paris will shortly begin work on a two-pronged enhancement programme that will from 2017 see 36 of the early-production Tigers raised to the HAD configuration. Through this, they will gain more powerful engines and enhanced offensive capability through the integration of Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface/anti-tank missiles and 68mm or 70mm rockets, a laser designator and an identification, friend or foe Mode 5 transponder. This will result in the service having an eventual 67-strong fleet in the enhanced standard.

This will be followed by a further upgrade, principally to the helicopter’s avionics and communications systems, but also adding laser-guided rockets, lifting the fleet to a level the service describes as “Tiger Mk2”.

Maj Gen Olivier de la Motte, commander of French army aviation, says the budget for the Mk2 work has been allocated, and that the service hopes to field the enhancements in the 2018-2019 timeframe.

However, in the longer term France is working with other Tiger partner nations – Australia, Germany and Spain – to define the specification for a Mk3 variant. Key to this, says de la Motte, will be to agree a common anti-tank missile for the type.

Speaking at the IQPC International Military Helicopter conference in London on 18 January, de la Motte said the MK3 upgrade had been pushed out until 2023, to allow the four countries more time to reach agreement.

“We have to be sure it is ready, and we have conducted platform studies with the other nations to understand which choice we have to make,” he says. “That is the reason why we have two steps in a very short period of time.”

At present the operators use three different munitions – Australia and France favour the Hellfire, Germany the Parsys Trigat, and Spain the Rafael Spike.

Also included within the Mk3 configuration are further enhancements to the Tiger's communications suite, including a Link 16 datalink and Blue Force Tracking system.

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A number of European countries have shown interest in the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, Navy Recognition has learned during the Surface Navy Association's (SNA) National Symposium held last week near Washington DC. Among them are the UK, France, Italy and Spain.
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"We will brief a number of European countries on the V-22 in February. If international partners orders can be added to the US order as part of Multi Year 3, it could drive the V-22 price down" said John R. Parker, Senior Manager, Tiltrotor Global Sales & Marketing at Boeing. Navy Recognition understands that the idea is that if these European countries can pool their orders with the USMC and US Navy upcoming orders, there is a good chance that the tiltrotor aircraft would become affordable to them.

"In the case of the UK and France, the interest is coming from the Navy" according to Parker. The Royal Navy and Marine Nationale are likely looking for an aircraft to conduct Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) missions. The UK Navy is set to commissions two new aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) in 2017 and HMS Prince of Wales (R09) in 2020. The French Navy operates one nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, but doesn't have COD aircraft.

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Australia, France eye collaboration on special forces NH90 helicopters

• 20 January, 2016
• BY: Dominic Perry
• London

Australia and France are investigating a potential joint requirement for a special forces variant of the NH Industries (NHI) NH90 to trim development costs.

With only a small pool of helicopters requiring modification, France would look to share the financial commitment, says Maj Gen Olivier de la Motte, commander, French army aviation.

“We are speaking about a common version at the moment with Australia,” he said on the sidelines of the IQPC International Military Helicopter conference on 18 January. “We could have the same version for both forces.”

French army aviation operates eight Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracals for the mission. However later this decade the Caracals will transfer across to the air force, potentially leaving a capability gap.

Canberra, meanwhile, relies on a fleet of ageing Sikorsky S-70As to support its special operations units.

Both nations have substantial fleets of NH90s on order: Australia will eventually field a fleet of 47 of the troop transports, while the French army will have a 74-strong inventory, having added a six-unit order in January.

No decision has been made on whether to replace the departing H225Ms – either through new helicopters or modifications to the existing fleet – but the service is keen to ensure “we have the same number of airframes for each command”, says an army source.

Its special forces are in the early stages of drawing up the technical specification for any replacement, with the requirements likely to encompass a central trapdoor for fast roping, a rear door gun and changes to the communications suite.

“It is very early in the process,” says the source. “Our special forces would like the NH90, but want them to a certain specification. They make a request and then there will be an answer – yes to everything, yes to some things, or no to everything. Then [if appropriate] they will have to decide what they can do without."

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Scratch said:

France is thinking about an upgrade timeline for it's Tiger attack helicopters. By the end of next year there will be 67 helicopters all on the then latest standard. Either newly delivered that way, or upgraded. They will have stronger engines, Hellfires, 68/70mm rockets and a Mode 5 IFF.

Between 2018-2019, France intents to field a Tiger Mk2 upgrade with new avionics & comms and laser guided rockets.

Beyond that, France is looking for a common Mk3 standard with Tiger partner nations. Primarily a common ATGM, and again new comms, Link 16 and blue force tracking.

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The French Navy (Marine Nationale) is looking at ways to improve its coastal fire support and land attack capabilities. The information was first revealed by French defense news website OPEX360: The French procurement agency (DGA) awarded a contract to Airbus Defence & Space to study the integration of Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) with the French Navy Mistral class LHDs.

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