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The uninspiring and complacent election campaign run by Theresa May and the Conservative party delivered something of a shock result. Universally expected to increase their number of seats, the Tories lost their Parliamentary majority and are now forced to rely on the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland to remain in power.

As expected, defence issues got little attention in the election. Even in the wake of the London Bridge and Manchester terrorist attacks, internal security issues seemed to create little public and media discussion. The main public debate on defence, prior to the election was held at RUSI on 22nd May and was not even attended by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. It was obvious that most of the audience and journalists attending the debate were far better informed on the issues than the floundering politicians on the panel.

Brexit and political uncertainty ahead
The election result leaves a Prime Minister with her authority badly undermined. Only the risk of letting Corbyn into power is preventing the Tories holding a leadership contest at this juncture. After interminable election speeches about “strong and stable government” we have the exact opposite, a situation that impedes prompt decision making and firm action, something that is urgently needed at the MoD. The pressures of Brexit, Tory leadership problems, conflict with the DUP coalition or inadequate working majority could all result in a government collapse. A very unpopular new general election in the coming months could be the result, or a Labour/SNP minority coalition government could be waiting in the wings which would, of course, be very bad news for the RN.

Theresa May seems about to abandon the policies of austerity and debt reduction and put more money into public services. Defence will likely be at the back of the queue should any new money be forthcoming. Assuming the Tories are able to remain in power, we can look forward to them mostly saying the right things, while continuing to underfund and defence with more of the inevitable hollowing-out of capability that results.

It is interesting to note that in the constituencies where the RN has its English bases, the incumbent MP was replaced. Tory Oliver Colville lost to Labour’s Luke Pollard in Plymouth Sutton. Tory Flick Drummond lost to Labour’s Stephen Morgan in Portsmouth South. The SNP’s spokesman on defence, Brendan O Hara, who is MP for the Faslane area had his majority slashed from 8,473 to just 1,328. SNP influence at Westminster was significantly curtailed as Scottish votes moved to the Tories. The Scottish public has grown heartily sick of the SNP’s relentless push for a second independence referendum while failing to address issues they already have responsibility for. This threat to the Union, damage to UK defence and the RN particular, seems to have been averted for now.

Despite Labour losing its third election in a row and having 56 seats less that the Tories, Corbyn’s surprise improvement has even seen hard left elements claiming he should be Prime Minister. There is undoubtedly a renewed vigour within so-called progressive or left-wing politics in the UK and the Conservatives will need to offer a much more positive vision if they are to win the next election. Many moderate elements of the Labour party are supportive of the navy’s case and assure us they remain committed to Trident. After Corbyn finished promising free stuff to his adoring fans at the Glastonbury Festival (on Armed Forces Day), he reportedly said he “expects to be Prime Minister in six months” and would “scrap Trident as soon as he could”. It is difficult to predict how damaging a Corbyn government could be. The cabinet might consist of an anti-forces, anti-Trident, anti-NATO Marxist clique but the majority of moderate Labour MPs would probably obstruct the more extreme measures. The influence of the trade unions would also be a factor in ensuring naval construction programmes are kept on track.

The DUP – strong on defence
The social policies of the DUP and their links with Ulster Unionist militant groups will keep the party at the centre of controversy. They will be particularly loathed by the hard left and Corbyn with his IRA sympathies. Conversely, the DUP is likely to make every effort to keep Tories in power and Corbyn out. Those concerned about defence may have cause to be grateful the DUP has significant influence in government. Of all the party manifestos, theirs offered the best vision and assessment the situation.

“The DUP does not believe that present defence arrangements are adequate enough to cope with the emerging threats in the 21st Century.”

The DUP are firmly behind Trident and NATO, are publicly willing to identify the threat from Russia and understand we can no longer rely so heavily on the United States for our security. They believe another defence review should be conducted which would be “honest about the nature of the threats we face and the consequences of failing to deal with them. Only then can we make the difficult choices about capability and affordability”. It would seem that is there is a “party of defence” then it is the DUP, and the whole of the UK could benefit if they are able to stiffen Tory resolve on this issue.

Getting the frigate programme underway
The Navy board can enjoy a brief moment of satisfaction that HMS Queen Elizabeth successfully put to sea and is beginning the long journey to restoring UK carrier capability. Looking ahead, getting the frigate programme on track must be an immediate concern. Harriet Baldwin, the defence procurement Minister, has indicated the order for first three Type 26 Frigates will be placed before Parliament closes for summer recess on July 20th. The announcement that steel for the first ship has been cut at BAE Systems on the Clyde is expected any day now. The Tory manifesto actually committed the government to a National Shipbuilding Strategy, which is critical to the future Type 31 frigate programme. An announcement on whether the government will fully implement the recommendations of Sir John Parker’s report is eagerly awaited.

For now, it appears it will be business as usual at the MoD. Michael Fallon remains in post and the previously announced procurement programme is officially unchanged. Unfortunately, financial reality is going to catch up with these promises soon. The £10 billion shortfall in MoD funding identified by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee before the election is actually worse than it appears. The MoD’s Senior Civil Servant, Stephen Lovegrove speaking on 27th June talked of £20 Billion of “efficiency savings” the department must find over the next 10 years. The MoD claim this alarming figure is nothing new, but part of their previously agreed framework. Some of the measures to find this money are already in hand, such as the rationalisation of the defence estate which will see the closure of HMS Sultan and RM Stonehouse. Only if Theresa May’s election promise that “defence spending will rise 0.5% every year until 2022” is honoured, will there be any hope of mitigating the devastating effects of this shortfall. The extent of economic turbulence in the wake of Brexit is also a considerable unknown and the outlook for investment in the RN for the medium to long-term is uncertain. What we can be assured of, is that Britain will need its navy more than ever as it cements its new position in an unstable world.

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Jura said:

for those who remember Feb 6, 2016

Type 45 Destroyers:Written question - 67575

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Q
Asked by

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(Portsmouth South)
Asked on: 13 March 2017
"To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to award contracts for the Power Improvement Project for the Type 45 destroyer class."

A
Answered by:

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Answered on: 16 March 2017
"On current plans, we anticipate that the Ministry of Defence will be able to award the contract for the Power Improvement Project for the Type 45 Destroyer class in early 2018."

(related, dated May 2016 though:
Project Napier sees twin-track plan adopted to resolve Type 45 problems

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vaporware?

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A key part of the fix planned for the British Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer’s unreliable propulsion system is ready to be operationally tested for the first time, according to a top executive at Rolls-Royce's Marine division.

A modified recuperator section installed on one of the two WR-21 gas turbines, which help power each Type 45 anti-air destroyer, has already gone through trials off the British coast, said Tomas Leahy, the director of global naval programs at Rolls-Royce. The warship is scheduled to start operational trials when it deploys later this year, he added.

The recuperator recovers heat from the exhaust of the WR-21 gas turbines and recycles it into the engine, improving fuel efficiency.

“We are confident we have a working solution," Leahy said. "The vessel has done some running around the U.K. We have done an inspection on the recuperator and it’s all looking very positive.

“The vessel is due on deployment later this year to warmer [climates] and that will be the official sea trial for the modification. We will do a mid-deployment inspection; when she gets back we will do a further inspection to ensure it is performing.”

Leahy briefed reporters about the company's marine activities during a visit to its Bristol, England, site.

Neither Leahy or the British Ministry of Defence would say which of the Type 45 fleets is involved in the test.

The recuperator had undergone extensive modifications with more than 2,000 separate components involved in the change, Leahy said.

Aside from the local sea trials, Rolls-Royce has run a 500-hour test of the heavily modified recuperator at its Bristol site.

However, Leahy said it’s what happens during operations that counts.

“Most importantly is how it actually performs during an operational mission. If that is successful, the plan is working with MoD to roll out modifications across the fleet's 11 remaining engines,” he said.

Installation of the modifications were carried out in four weeks. Crucially, that’s within the warships normal maintenance period, so the work need not impose further stress on the Royal Navy’s wafer-thin surface combatant resources.

“We are really quite positive. We believe this will improve the reliability of the WR-21 and the recuperator, which has been a thorn in both our sides,” Leahy said.

The Royal Navy’s fleet of warships has been dogged with serious propulsion problems pretty much since the first of six of the Type 45s entered service in 2010. The worst of the problems saw ships losing all electrical power and propulsion while at sea.


The Type 45s use an integrated electric propulsion system with two Rolls-Royce-built WR-21s and two Wartsila diesel generators providing power to the ship.

The otherwise highly successful Type 45s employ what was then a pioneering integrated full-electric propulsion system, which uses gas turbines and diesels to power electric motors, which turn the propellers.

Project Napier

Problems with the systems have generated widespread criticism in Parliament and the media, in particular due to poor MoD equipment specifications that impaired the warship's ability to operate effectively at all times in very hot climates, like the Arabian Gulf.

The MoD is now having to foot a bill of more than £250 million (U.S. $321 million) to fix the problem in a two-pronged program called Project Napier.

The first element of Napier is an equipment improvement plan, or EIP, and the second is the longer-term effort to replace the existing diesels with more powerful generators, known as the power improvement plan, or PIP.

The EIP is looking at a number of individual equipment items within the power propulsion systems. Leahy said improving the recuperator was a key task.

“Improving the reliability of the recuperator is the most important [EIP] task, as it has not reached the level of reliability either the MoD or Rolls-Royce would want,” he said.

Leahy said the recuperator has suffered from a series of issues, although they hadn’t stopped the gas turbines from working.

“It’s not a case of 'it does work or it doesn’t'; it degrades. When it does, it gives you operational limitations and ultimately it gets to a point where you have to bypass it. When you do, you still have a functioning gas turbine, but it is just a simple cycle gas turbine, you don’t get benefits from having a complex cycle system,” he said.

The Rolls-Royce executive declined to give any details on the amount of reliability improvement that company engineers had achieved with the modified system, but he did say: “We are significantly improving the robustness and reliability.

“We are aiming to have a recuperator last two complete overhaul cycles for a WR-21 engine without any failures. That’s the target set and the design target [we're] working to."

The WR-21 is designed to be more fuel-efficient across a typical surface combatant operating profile than a simple cycle gas turbine.

Leahy said that to achieve this, the “WR-21 incorporates an ‘intercooler’ that cools the inlet air after the first stage of compression and a ‘recuperator’ that recovers heat from the exhaust gas by heating the compressed air before it enters the combustion system.”

Intercooler work is being done separately.

“The recuperator provides improved fuel efficiency at part-power conditions, where in the naval application, the gas turbine typically spends most of its time,” he said.

Rolls-Royce is not yet under contract to install the modifications, and Leahy said he didn’t know when that might happen.

“It’s down to the MoD and when they get to a level of confidence they feel they can launch the program. They are very keen but want to make sure they have the right solution,” he said.

On the PIP element of the plan, an MoD spokeswomen said the project involves “fitting additional diesel generators to provide further electrical generation capacity.”

A competition for the work is currently underway, and the spokeswoman said that “subject to securing the necessary formal approval, our aim is to have completed the competitive process and be in a position to award the contract in early 2018.”

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The British government has given the green light to BAE Systems to build three Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigates in a deal worth around £3.7 billion, or U.S. $4.9 billion, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced.

The deal is the first batch of a fleet of eight warships due to be handed over to the Royal Navy to replace the current Type 23 frigates for escorting the new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and protecting the nuclear submarine fleet as they come and go from their base in Scotland.

No precise delivery timelines for the new warships have been given by the MoD, but a BAE spokesman said the ship was scheduled to be accepted by the Royal Navy around the mid-2020s.

That would suggest a delay of a couple of years past the original timescale. Previously the two sides had been working towards having the first warship available for operations in 2023, when the first of the Type 23s, HMS Argyll, was due to be pensioned off.

The first of the new aircraft carriers started sea trials last week and is expected to start its first operational deployment in 2021, protected by updated Type 23s.

The Royal Navy had originally been scheduled to receive 13 of the Type 26s, but five of the warships were axed in the 2015 strategic defense and security review. Alternatively, those will eventually be replaced by a new general purpose frigate known as the Type 31. The Type 31 program remains undefined, and industry executives here said there is no real money yet available to get the project underway.

That said, signing of the Type 26 contract after around three years of fierce negotiations over price and terms and conditions might provide a boost for the marine industry here beyond the local market. The deal will reassure potential export buyers the program is going ahead roughly to schedule, said the executives.

Australia and Canada are expected to go forward with a new frigate program in the next few months and the Type 26 is a contender for both requirements.

Commenting on the deal, Fallon said: “The contract is structured to ensure value for taxpayers ’ money and, importantly, now designed to protect them from extra bills from project overrun. The investment will secure hundreds of skilled jobs at BAE Systems on the Clyde for the next 20 years, and thousands of jobs in the supply chain across Britain. ”

The MoD said in a statement the contract was “specifically structured to motivate both sides to deliver to a successful outcome, where both parties share in the pain and gain in the delivery of the programme.”

BAE and Britain’s cash-strapped Ministry of Defence had originally been expected to cut steel on the first of the 6,900 tonne warships around this time last year, but the prolonged negotiations resulted in the deal only being concluded a few weeks ago. The official announcement was held up by last month’s general election.

The delay in completing negotiations has been mitigated by a series of long-lead item contracts to key equipment suppliers and demonstration phase work with BAE to mature the design.

The £3.7 billion price tag for the three ships includes money already spent on long-lead items, ongoing development costs and some infrastructure work being paid for by the MoD at BAE’s two yards in Glasgow, Scotland, where the warships will be built.

In a briefing with reporters last week, executives at Rolls-Royce Marine said the first of three MT30 gas turbines ordered under the long-lead time arrangement had already been delivered to BAE’s Glasgow yards where the warships are to be built.

Rolls-Royce is set to be a major beneficiary of the program. Aside from supplying one MT30 package per warship the company is providing a range of equipment including steering gear, rudders, propellers and mission bay handling systems. Its German subsidiary MTU is supplying diesel generators.

The MoD said the contract for the second batch of five ships is not expected to be negotiated until the early 2020s.

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Jura said:

hmmm "The MoD said the contract for the second batch of five ships is not expected to be negotiated until the early 2020s."
BAE Systems gets green light on $4.9 billion deal from UK for anti-sub warfare frigates

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Warships of this size and complexity are ordered in batches. The Type 45 Destroyer was ordered in batches, why should the Type 26 Frigate be any different?

As we predicted before the announcement that the first batch of Type 26 Frigates were ordered, some groups have taken the batch build process to indicate a cut and it’s becoming tiresome.

Ordering in batches is common for projects of this size around the world and was last seen with the Royal Navy for the Type 45 Destroyers and recent Offshore Patrol Vessels.

The Type 45s first batch order was for three vessels jist like Type 26 and steel is to be cut on the first ship in Glasgow in the coming weeks.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

“The Type 26 Frigate is a cutting-edge warship, combining the expertise of the British shipbuilding industry with the excellence of the Royal Navy. We will cut steel on the first ship later this month – a hugely significant milestone that delivers on our commitment to maintain our global naval power. These ships will be a force to be reckoned with, there to protect our powerful new carriers and helping keep British interests safe across the world.

“Backed by a rising defence budget and a £178bn Equipment Plan, the Type 26 programme will bring vast economic benefits to Scotland and the wider UK. The contract is structured to ensure value for taxpayers’ money and, importantly, now designed to protect them from extra bills from project overrun. The investment will secure hundreds of skilled jobs at BAE Systems on the Clyde for the next twenty years, and thousands of jobs in the supply chain across Britain.”

Commenting on this important announcement, Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems said:

“The award of this contract is a strong endorsement of the talent and commitment of our employees across the UK and reinforces Glasgow as the centre of shipbuilding in the UK. We are extremely proud to be chosen to design and manufacture vessels that will give the Royal Navy an essential, next generation capability and be a vital addition to its fleet.

“We will continue to invest in our technologies, productivity and people to help us deliver these ships to the highest standards. Today we have five River Class Offshore Patrol vessels at varying stages of construction for the Royal Navy across our shipyards in Glasgow and we look forward to starting manufacture on the first Type 26 ship in the coming weeks.”

The UK Government committed to eight advanced anti-submarine warfare ships in its 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The Type 26 programme currently employs more than 1,200 people in the UK supply chain, with a number of contracts already in place for the manufacture of major equipment for the first three ships. In total, there are already 33 UK and international companies working in the supply chain to deliver the Type 26 ships – with further announcements to be made shortly.

Harriet Baldwinm, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, told Parliament in a written statement on Tuesday this week:

“I am today laying a Departmental Minute to advise that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has received approval from Her Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) to recognise a new contingent liability associated with the Type 26 Global Combat Ship Manufacture Phase 1 Contract.

The Departmental Minute describes the contingent liability that the MOD will hold as a result of placing the Type 26 Global Combat Ship Manufacture Phase 1 Contract, which will provide for the manufacture and testing of the first batch of Type 26 Global Combat Ships. The maximum contingent liability against the MOD is unquantifiable and will remain until the latest Out of Service Date of the ships manufactured under the contract, in the second half of the 21st century.

It is usual to allow a period of 14 Sitting Days prior to accepting a contingent liability, to provide hon. Members an opportunity to raise any objections. I regret that on this occasion pressing commercial and industrial requirements to sign the contract within the next few days together with the dissolution of Parliament, have meant that it has not been possible to provide the full 14 Sitting Days prior to taking on the contingent liabilities. Any delay would have risked losing significant financial benefits for the taxpayer. The Secretary of State for Defence has decided to proceed with the agreement, following scrutiny by the Department’s Investment Approvals Committee which confirmed that the contract offered best value for money for the taxpayer, and subsequent approval by HM Treasury.

Within the contract the exposure of BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships to a number of specified claims and to Direct Losses is limited to £50 million, while in respect of Indirect Losses and, within certain prescribed categories, catastrophic risks the contractor is indemnified against claims in excess of £50 million. It is the view of the Department that the likelihood of any claim is extremely low.”

Michael Fallon said earlier in the year that cutting the first steel would help secure new investment and safeguard hundreds of skilled jobs until 2035.

An independent report into the National Shipbuilding Strategy by Sir John Parker has also recommended that the Type 31 Frigate build be spread across the UK, with blocks being constructed in yards in both Scotland and England.

The National Shipbuilding Strategy is intended to be a “radical, fundamental re-appraisal of how we undertake the shipbuilding enterprise in the UK, intending to place UK naval shipbuilding on a sustainable long term footing”.

Sir John Parker’s independent report designed to inform the strategy was released. The government say they will give Sir John’s work the full consideration that it deserves and will provide a full and detailed response in the spring 2017.

In November, after confirming that the Type 26 Frigate would be built on the Clyde, Michael Fallon also indicated that the Type 31 Frigate will be assembled there too.

Michael Fallon told BBC Radio Scotland:

“Nobody is shortchanging the Clyde. This is a huge moment for the Clyde; we’re confirming we’re going ahead with the steel cut next summer, earlier than expected. The first eight will be the Type 26 combat ships.

After that, the Clyde will be building a lighter frigate and we will end up with a fleet that is larger than the fleet at the moment.”

It’s understood that the build plan for the Type 31 Frigate will follow a similar pattern to that of the Queen Elizabeth carriers and early Type 45 Destroyers in that blocks will be built in yards around the UK and assembled on the Clyde.

Additionally, it was recently announced recently that work had started on the fourth of five new Offshore Patrol Vessels being built on the Clyde.

It is understood that the yards on the Clyde will now build 18 vessels of varying types, instead of the originally promised 13.

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Jura said:

all I can say is God Save The Queen ...

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For its 1st firing, ANL/Sea Venom helo launched antiship missile was pushed to the very edge of its range capability

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New F-35 squadron named, 207 Squadron to become OCU

No. 207 Squadron Royal Air Force, a former bomber, communications and then trainer squadron, is to stand up as the F-35 OCU squadron it has been announced.

An operational conversion unit (OCU) is a unit within whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. Operational conversion units teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and its weapons.

207 Squadron forms in 2019 at Marham. The first Officer Commanding will be

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.

Before the RAF was formed it was part of the Royal Naval Air Service as No. 7 Squadron.

The announcement was made during a visit to RAF Marham by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, and the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, to view the progress being made to prepare for the arrival of the fifth generation fighter at the Norfolk base next summer.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier said:

“I am very pleased to announce that the Operational Conversion Unit for the UK’s F-35B Lightning fleet will be 207 Squadron. The squadron has a proud and distinguished history, not only as an RAF squadron but as one of the earliest squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service which, with the Royal Flying Corps, came together to form the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918.

Preparations for the arrival of the first UK Lightnings next year are progressing well. The investment of £250m in infrastructure here at RAF Marham will ensure the station has the facilities to match this world-class aircraft when it arrives next year. As the home of the UK Lightning Force the station will be at the heart of UK airpower for decades to come.”

Admiral Sir Philip Jones First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff said:

“207 Squadron will play an important part in the future of both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, and rightly reflects our shared aviation heritage. I was in the United States earlier this month to meet some of the pilots and maintainers who are getting to grips with the F-35B. They’re working brilliantly together and today I’ve seen the same sense of purpose from those readying RAF Marham for their arrival.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first carrier in the world designed from the outset to operate a fifth generation combat aircraft. Crucially, a second ship – HMS Prince of Wales – is on its way, which will give the UK a continuous Carrier Strike capability. I have every expectation that, in time, this combination of carriers and jets will represent a powerful and important strategic conventional deterrent.”

The new infrastructure currently being built at RAF Marham includes vertical landing pads, the renewal of runways and taxiways and new technical and training facilities, offices and hangars.

The first Lightnings will arrive at RAF Marham in summer next year when the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots currently training in the United States, will return as 617 Squadron, the Dambusters. The Lightning OCU will stand up as 207 Squadron on the 1st of July 2019.

In 2002 one of the Flying Training Squadrons operating Shorts Tucanos at No. 1 Flying Training School, RAF Linton-on-Ouse was renumbered as No. 207 (Reserve) Squadron. The squadron was later disbanded in January 2012 as a result of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

It is expected that the UK will build a front-line fleet of four F-35 squadrons with each squadron having 12 jets. A fifth unit, an operational conversion unit, will also operate 12 aircraft.

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The MOD expects all of the first 48 F-35s to have been "fully delivered" within january 2025. The 3rd and 4th squadrons lie beyond that

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Ongoing manpower issues revealed by status of Royal Navy surface escorts

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Jura said:

... this way one free set of Harpoon canisters will become available soon, once the Dauntless is back ... when will this happen, by the way?

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