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to read the full document, it is fascinating and complex subject with no easy soundbite solutions but at least on T26, the additional information is very interesting. It raises the same question the MoD has been grappling with for a very long time, should it compromise equipment specification (and thus, arguably operational effectiveness) for better exportability which offers the prospect of larger volume and lower overall programme cost. Or put another way, the balance between cost, specification and quantity.

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Naval Today said:

UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has today announced that BAE Systems, Burgess Marine, and Magma Structures have been shortlisted to make use of the ship halls at Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth.

This will help Portsmouth keep its maritime and engineering expertise and traditions.
Negotiations will be taken forward over the coming weeks to determine which company or companies will occupy the facilities.

BAE Systems’ proposal would see its Maritime Services business use the facility, under the recently signed Maritime Support Delivery Framework contract, to improve the maintenance programme of the Royal Navy’s Hunt class mine countermeasures vessels.

This would sustain around 200 jobs in Portsmouth and free capacity elsewhere on the base to develop commercial ship repair work.

Burgess Marine proposes to use the facilities to construct and fit luxury yachts. It estimates it could create around 200 jobs in the region.

Magma Structures is a specialist in the design and manufacture of large, complex composite structures, currently working in the marine, oil and gas, defence and construction sectors.
It is looking to re-locate from its current base in Portsmouth to a larger waterside location.
A new manufacturing base would secure Magma’s workforce of around 180 in the city with the potential for future employment growth.

Secretary Michael Fallon said:

The short-listing of 3 companies is a significant step forward in getting the ship halls back to work.

It offers the opportunity to open up the shipyard to more firms providing high skilled jobs.
This is an exciting time of regeneration for Portsmouth Naval Base, with the MOD investing £98 million over the past year.

This will help ensure that Portsmouth retains its maritime engineering expertise and traditions.

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The MOD has been committed to ensuring that the ship halls are used in the most effective way, to support jobs and growth in the region after another business unit of BAE Systems announced in 2013 that it would move its shipbuilding operations from the site.

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Naval Today said:

HSM Kent, the Type 23 Frigate, has assumed a vital role protecting the French carrier strike group’s mission in the Middle East.

Ushering in a new era of British and French military cooperation, HMS Kent has taken up the role of anti submarine warfare commander for the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, making her responsible for protecting the carrier group from underwater threats.
Kent will also provide general maritime security using her Lynx helicopter as the “eyes” and her advanced radar systems as her “ears”.

Having joined the group she has already taken part in White Shark – a three-day exercise with the Saudi Naval and Air Forces – where the threats came from below, on and above the waves.

Before joining the French, HMS Kent also worked with the US Navy’s USS Carl Vinson.
The Portsmouth based frigate was waiting in the Red Sea as the Charles de Gaulle group sailed through Suez from the Mediterranean.

The link-up between the two navies is the latest in a series of exercises and joint deployments since the turn of the decade with the goal of creating an Anglo-French expeditionary force next year.

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Naval Today said:

HMS Dauntless, Type 45 destroyer, which arrived in the Middle East just weeks ago, has already demonstrated the UK’s commitment to the security and safety of the region,providing vital support to the 30 nation Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) organisation.

The Portsmouth-based ship joined Australian oil tanker HMAS Success, the US Navy’s destroyer USS Dewey, patrol boat USS Firebolt and the US Coast Guard Cutter Maui in CMF’s counter-terrorism and maritime security task force, Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150).

Almost as soon as they joined CTF-150, HMS Dauntless was tasked to sail in formation with the other ships in the Task Force to test their navigating skills and communication abilities.
Commander Adrian Fryer Royal Navy, Commanding Officer of HMS Dauntless, said:

"Exercises like these develop the core communication and manoeuvring skills that we use in high threat environments, allowing us to protect other ships in the group with our highly capable Sea Viper missile system."

Maritime security operations form a key element of the UK’s commitment to the Middle East, a region which includes three of the world’s six maritime chokepoints.

HMS Dauntless will contribute to this mission, identifying suspicious behaviour or finding vessels known to be acting illegally.

Through a highly-trained team of specialists, the ship will compile a detailed ‘Surface Picture’ to keep track of vessels in the area.

The Portsmouth-based destroyer is deployed to the Middle East in support of the Bahrain-based UK Maritime Component Commander.

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Naval Today said:

The first British squadron has begun operational testing of the Royal Navy’s fifth generation strike fighters destined for the nation’s new aircraft carriers.
17 (Reserve) Squadron, which comprises both Royal Navy and RAF pilots and engineers, was officially stood up at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The squadron, which was first formed in 1915, will be responsible for all the testing and evaluation of the UK’s first F-35B Lightning II aircraft, known as BK-1.

PO Gary Lister, who is responsible for maintaining the ejection seats and crew escape system as well as managing the weapons on the aircraft, said:

"The F-35 has a myriad of sensors and technologies which means every aspect of the aircraft is constantly being tested.

This means when snags are found, they aren’t just fixed, but analysed and scrutinised to help future fault diagnosis and streamline the maintenance effort; it’s a hugely complex aircraft which will give both the navy and the RAF a superb capability."

The squadron will move to RAF Marham in Norfolk in 2018 and become 617 Squadron.

The second F-35B squadron will bear the name 809 NAS and both squadrons will fly from the HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales carriers.

The UK has taken delivery of three F-35B jets to date, which are based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Edwards Air Force Base in California and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina.

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FORBIN said:

Harpoon launch system located aft of A50 Sylver VLS on the Duncan annouced first equiped with Harpoon, 4 Type 45 on 6 get it, recovered systems from the 4 Type 22 batch 3 decommissioned.

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