UK Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Afghans seize 'largest drug haul'

Afghan police working with British special forces have uncovered a drugs stash of 237 tonnes of hashish.

Afghan and British officials say they believe it to be the world's biggest seizure of drugs in terms of weight. The drugs were found hidden in trenches in Kandahar province on Monday. The haul was so large that British jets bombed it to destroy the hashish.

Nato's top general in Afghanistan said the find would seriously cripple the Taleban's ability to buy weapons. Afghan and British officials said the hashish had a value of more than $400m (£203m). The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said the hashish weighed as much as 30 double-decker London buses.

"With this single find, they have seriously crippled the Taleban's ability to purchase weapons that threaten the safety and security of the Afghan people and the region," said Isaf's commander, US General David McKiernan.

Afghan police received a tip about the drugs cache on Monday morning and found it later that day, Isaf said. Three men were arrested during the operation. The find "reflects the efforts of the Afghan government against the drug trade, and was so large that two aircraft were brought in to destroy the underground bunker in which the hashish was being stored", British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in a statement.

The BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says the announcement should provide a welcome boost to the Afghan government on the eve of a major international donor conference in Paris in support of the country.

In the past, Afghanistan has been criticised by the international community for not doing enough to tackle drugs - especially the opium trade. Afghanistan is estimated to account for 90% of the world's opium. The previous record drugs haul is believed to be 81 tonnes of cocaine seized in Colombia.[/quote]

Losing hundreds of millions of dollars-worth of drugs in one go will be a big blow to the Taleban - well done to the Afghani Police and British soldiers!

Britain Upgrading Her Dukes
11-Jun-2008 12:13 EDT



HMS Sutherland

Brtiain’s Type 23 Duke Class frigates were originally envisioned as pure anti-submarine vessels, to the extent of being planned with no other armament. The 1982 Falklands War quickly put paid to that idea, however, and the Type 23s would end up being commissioned from 1989-2001 and fitted with a main gun, Sea Wolf short range anti-air missiles, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles to accompany her torpedoes, decoys, et. al. These changes turned the frigates from specialized sub-hunters into versatile multi-role combatants that play a key role in the British fleet. The Royal Navy is set to continue shrinking in size (see esp. diagram) due to rising ship costs, and even though key platforms like aircraft carriers and amphibious ships may be more capable, the mid-tier combat role filled by frigates is not slated for new construction any time soon. As such, upgrading the Navy’s 13 remaining Type 23s to keep them in service is vitally important to Britain’s future force.

As part of those upgrade efforts, the Type 23 frigates will receive: Sonar 2087 towed sonars, the Royal Navy’s latest and most sophisticated submarine hunting system (Thales UK, GBP 166 million for machines that go ‘ping!’); Upgraded vertical-launch Sea Wolf Block 2 air defence missiles to help counter supersonic anti-ship missiles (BAE Systems Insyte with MBDA, GBP 300 million); an improved 114mm Vickers Mk 8 Mod 1 main gun, capable of firing long-range ammunition; and a reshaped stern to cut fuel use. Upgrades are also being performed during maintenance periods, some of which are significant to the ship’s overall capabilities.

The latest news is HMS St Albans completion of her refit, alongside the handover of the last Type 23 frigate to Chile…

Events & Milestones


HMS Iron Duke

May 30/08: Following a year long refit, HMS St Albans completes inspections and is ready to begin sea trials. The GBP 10 million contract with Babcock Marine in Rosyth included Sonar 2087 installation, the addition of a new 30mm gun for small threat defense, a new defense-grade communications system, radial filters and vent system upgrades, and converting the ship’s helicopter berth, flight deck, et. al. to accommodate the new EH101 Merlin helicopters. UK MoD release.
May 28/08: Chile officially welcomes the former-HMS Marlborough into the Chilean fleet as Almirante Condell in a Portsmouth, UK ceremony, under her new commanding officer, Captain Jorge Cruz. The ship is expected to arrive in Chile by year end.

The vessel is the last of 3 former Royal Navy Type-23 frigates to be handed over to Chile, under a GBP 134 million pound sales agreement signed in September 2005, with conversions and refits performed by BAE Systems. She joins the former HMS Norfolk (Almirante Cochrane, November 2006) and former HMS Grafton (Almirante Lynch, March 2007). This completes Chile’s renovation of its surface fleet under Project Puente, which included refitted Dutch M-Class and L-Class frigates as well. UK MoD release | Mercopress report.

Dec 17/07: The UK MoD announces that Work to install the first fit of a new, upgraded NATO Radial Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear (CBRN) filter system to HMS Iron Duke has been completed as part of the ship’s 10-month maintenance period in Portsmouth, UK. The system will enable more cost effective through-life support through less frequent requirement for filter changes, and may end up being retrofitted to all ships in class. Installation wasmn’t easy, however, requiring new installations to the ship’s superstructure as well as a considerable revamp to existing in-board fittings.

Fleet Support Limited (FSL) worked with the Marine Environment Survivability and Habitability and Frigates Integrated Project Teams, and the frigate’s maintenance program saw 40% growth in workload over its 10 months. Externally, the frigate was fitted with a new transom flap to improve fuel economy, a considerable number of sea tubes were replaced, radar trackers were removed and overhauled, and finally an extensive painting package was completed. Internal work included improvements to the ship’s machinery, particularly the gearbox, a new aircraft handling system that lets the ship operate large EH101 Merlin helicopter, and enhanced accommodation for the crew.

Dec 6/07: Britain’s MoD announced that the F81 HMS Sutherland would be the latest to receive these refits, at a cost of GBP 35 million (about $71.6 million). New equipment valued at GBP 18 million will be installed as part of a general overhaul of the ship under a GBP 17 million contract with Babcock Marine at their Rosyth dockyard in Scotland.

Eurofighter Typhoon: production of Tranche 2 is under way

By Karl Schwarz

With over four years of service and more than 30,000 flying hours with five air forces, Eurofighter is no longer the newcomer among the fighters. Following the initial training phase, the European fighter is used by the Royal Air Force and the Aeronautica Militare Italiano on Quick Reaction Alert airspace protection duties since last year. Deployment by the Ejercito del Aire, the Luftwaffe (Fighter Wing 74 in Neuburg) and the Austrian Surveillance Wing in Zeltweg (to patrol the European football championships) will follow shortly.

Meanwhile the Eurofighter units are working on expanding the capabilities of the type. Participation in exercises is a long established way of doing this. Thus, the first “Typhoon Meet” was organised in March at short notice. Three aircraft from FW 73 in Laage, four Typhoons from 3 and XI Squadrons in Coningsby and four aircraft from Gruppo IX in Grosseto and Gruppo XII in Gioia del Colle were deployed for this purpose to the Moron de la Frontera air base in Andalusia, where Ala 11 flies the Eurofighter. F/A-18 Hornets, Mirage F1's, Sea Harriers and Portuguese F-16 Fighting Falcons played the role of Red forces.

A high sortie tempo was maintained over a number of days, with two or even three waves per day. A typical mission entailed eight Eurofighters (one pair per country) pitted against 20 to 26 hostile aircraft in an air defence role. In individual cases the Red Force was even strengthened by a few Eurofighters from Ala 11 to simulate the presence of latest generation fighters such as the Sukhoi Su 30. Different air combat tactics were tried in the exercise areas near Huelva on the Atlantic coast, Toledo and especially the large area near Albacete (D98). Long-range target engagement and close combat were both practised.

The joint briefings enabled an in-depth exchange of experiences and “tricks” with the new system to take place. Meanwhile ground personnel attended various workshops during the week on the subjects of avionics, mechanics and engines, maintenance processes and quality assurance procedures. All the participants were very pleased with the results at the end of the week and rated the quality of the exercise as extremely positive. It is therefore hoped that in future the Typhoon Meet can take place every year.

While the Eurofighter squadrons are gaining further experience with the new weapon system, the final stages of work under the main development contract are under way in industry. For example, weapons testing for Tranche 1 ended on 27 February with the firing of an AMRAAM air-to-air guided missile from IPA2 in Decimomannu. The AIM-9L Sidewinder, ASRAAM, AMRAAM and IRIS-T are now certified, as are the laser-guided Paveway II (UK), Enhanced Paveway II, GBU-10 and GBU-16 bombs for air-to-ground missions. Moreover, as part of the Austere programme for the Royal Air Force, the Litening laser target designator pod has also been qualified.

Attention is now shifting to the delivery of aircraft from Tranche 2, which, following the completion of testing of Block 8 capabilities which is currently under way, albeit somewhat behind schedule, is expected to commence in the summer. The first Eurofighter in Tranche 2 is Instrumented Production Aircraft 7 (IPA7), which lifted off on its first flight in Manching on 16 January with Chris Worning at the controls. Although Tranche 2 aircraft do not look any different from Tranche 1 machines from the outside, a few important changes have been made to the equipment configuration.

These are mainly in the avionics, as is usually the case these days. 40 to 50 items of equipment have been replaced, in some cases to replace outmoded components which are now difficult to procure, but mainly to clear the decks for future requirements such as the integration of new weapons. For example, PowerPC chips are now being used in the central computers. The software has been modified accordingly and in some cases supplemented by special compatibility modules for communication with other, “old” code in individual equipment items.

Building on the new avionics, the Eurofighter partner companies are now working on Phase 1 of a programme of enhancements (P1E, also known as Change Proposal 210). This includes:
The implementation of a new software architecture which will enable future capability enhancements to be implemented more easily. The aim is to achieve a more modular structure and use new programming tools that will make it possible to implement changes more quickly.
Improvements to the cockpit displays, including air-to-ground display formats for use with the new weapons. Naturally pilots from all the air forces are involved in developing the new symbology.
Full integration of laser target designator pods. The RAF is evidently very pleased with the present solution for the Litening pod, but further improvements through to a higher degree of automation are desirable.
Minor improvements and modification of systems such as MIDS (data link), GPS (satellite navigation), DASS (electronic self-defence system), radios and other subsystems.
Certification of the Paveway IV and Enhanced GBU-16 precision bombs. First on the agenda is ground testing to establish the vibration characteristics, to be followed by flight tests aimed at the release of different loading alternatives which have to be incorporated into the flight control system.
It is hoped to achieve provisional certification of the Phase 1 Enhancements in 2011, with final release to follow at the end of 2012. P2E would then be available two years later. However, the precise content of this has still to be agreed between the partner nations and it is not therefore covered by a contract yet. The improvements are aimed at the integration of stand-off weapons such as Storm Shadow and Taurus and the launch of Paveway IV in the supersonic range. Modifications to accommodate the air-to-air Meteor guided missile, which is still under development, will be the subject of separate contracts.

What happens then is still open. On a realistic view of the resources available, the ambitions of the participating air forces have already been significantly trimmed back. Thus Tranche 3 aircraft will probably be not much different from those of Tranche 2. Just how many aircraft this tranche will comprise is not yet clear. Whereas Germany and Spain are sticking rigidly to their previously stated requirements, the United Kingdom and Italy are investigating alternatives which could extend as far as foregoing any further orders at all. Eurofighter is hoping that the situation will be clarified by the end the year.

Eurofighter Tranche 2 production

The contract for the second tranche of production was signed on 14 December 2004. However, in order to accommodate the export order for Tranche 1 aircraft from Austria and the order placed by Saudi Arabia in 2007, the numbers have changed slightly as follows:

Germany: 79
The Luftwaffe is giving up five delivery slots and six aircraft already used from Tranche 1 to Austria, as a result of which it will receive correspondingly more aircraft from Tranche 2.

United Kingdom: 91
This number has increased by two, as some aircraft from Tranche 1 were relinquished to Austria. The Royal Air Force will initially forego the delivery of 20 single-seaters and four two-seaters from Tranche 2 production, which are now earmarked for Saudi Arabia starting in 2009. They will then be replaced towards the end of the production batch. This will mean deferment of the establishment of additional squadrons and commencement of flying operations at the second base in Leuchars until 2011.

Italy: 47
This number has increased by one, as one aircraft from Tranche 1 was relinquished to Austria.

Spain: 34
This number has increased by one, as one aircraft from Tranche 1 was relinquished to Austria.

Saudi Arabia: 72
To ensure that its Typhoons are delivered quickly, Saudi Arabia will be taking 24 aircraft earmarked for the RAF (including four two-seaters), starting in mid-2009. They will initially be used to train pilots and maintenance personnel in Coningsby. The remaining 48 Typhoons (including eight two-seaters) will then be assembled in Saudi Arabia itself from 2011 as Project Salam envisages a technology transfer. The partner for this work will be Alsalam Aircraft, which is collaborating with BAE Systems. Costs will total £4.43 billion (€5.6 billion). Saudi Arabia stresses that the unit price of £61.5 million (€77.7 million) is the same price that the RAF is paying.

news on the new A400 aircraft it will fly

A400M MSN 001 Gets Its Propellers

A400M MSN 001 Gets Its Propellers

(Source: Airbus Military; issued June 13, 2008)


The first A400M (aircraft MSN 001) has now been fitted with eight-bladed propellers for its four TP-400 turboprop engines. (Airbus Military photo)

Early June has been a busy time on the A400M programme. While the TP400 engine was being ground-run at Marshall’s facilities in the UK, the first production aircraft, A400M MSN 001, has had its propellers fitted at the Final Assembly Line in Seville. All four of the huge Ratier-Figeac / Hamilton Sundstrand propellers have now been integrated with the engines on the wings of a/c No 001.

Measuring 5.3 metres (17.5 feet) in diameter, the eight-bladed propellers manufactured in France from woven composite material are amongst the largest of such in the world.

The state-of-the-art scimitar-shaped blades, in handed pairs turning in opposite directions on each wing, will drive the A400M at cruise speeds of up to 430 knots. This puts the A400M in the class of the fastest turboprops allowing speeds and climb performance similar to turbofan-powered aircraft.

The A400M’s engine/propeller rotation configuration is described as “Down Between Engines” and provides numerous advantages in terms of aerodynamic efficiency and structural design. (ends)

Re: news on the new A400 aircraft it will fly

Ground Runs Commence tor TP-400 Engine Flying Test Bed

(Source: Airbus Military; issued June 13, 2008)

The second week of June saw the first ground run of the A400M’s TP-400 engine fitted to the Marshall-owned C-130 Hercules Flying Test Bed (FTB). After overcoming some technical difficulties due to unforeseen integration problems, the 10,000 shaft horsepower engine was run up for the first time in Cambridge, UK on June 10th.

Although not part of the contractual obligations, the FTB programme has been devised by Airbus Military as a risk mitigation exercise within the overall engine development programme.

Marshall Aerospace, with whom the contract for the FTB programme has been placed, has made extensive modifications to their C-130 in order to accommodate what is the most powerful turboprop engine yet produced in western Europe.

These modifications concern both the airframe and systems and include considerable revision of the Aircraft Operating Instructions and the Aircrew Manuals to encompass the procedures for operating the aircraft with two different engine and propeller types simultaneously.

The ground runs will enable engineers to test and measure engine start, nacelle ventilation, intake distortion, and engine noise and vibration levels. The results will also serve to clear the new Ratier-Figeac / Hamilton Sundstrand propeller for flight

New Lessons From The British Royal Navy
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by Martin Sieff
Washington (UPI) Jun 16, 2008
Britain's Royal Navy is seeking to revive its fabled anti-submarine warfare, or ASW, operating skills, and the area it chose to practice them this spring was astride the world's crucial oil supply routes in the Indian Ocean.

Jane's, the respected British weapons and armed forces publishing house and news service, reported June 5 that from April 16 through April 20, the Royal Navy carried out an ambitious five-day anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Indian Ocean. Jane's said the purpose of the exercise was to test the operational capabilities of two state-of-the-art British ASW systems, the Merlin HM-1 ship-launched helicopter and the Thales Underwater Systems new Sonar 2087 low-frequency active/passive sonar.
The exercise was of special significance in many respects.
First, the very codename Phoenix signifies an effort by the British navy to revive the fabled ASW skills it was famous for through both world wars and through the four and a half decades of the Cold War.
For the Royal Navy, as for the U.S. Navy, anti-submarine warfare capabilities dropped off the map following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the collapse of communism and the mothballing or rusting of most of the old Soviet navy.
However, in recent years Western naval planners, as we have noted in these pages, have belatedly woken up to the new threat posed by the global proliferation of cheap, easily built diesel-electric submarines that are so small and quiet that they are virtually undetectable by the ASW technologies of the last decade of the Cold War, which were designed to detect much larger, nuclear-powered Soviet subs.
Second, the British exercises, as the Jane's report clearly indicated, were meant to highlight the capabilities of the new Merlin helicopter and the Thales active/passive sonar system.
Third, the choice of the Indian Ocean for the exercises suggests the British manufacturers hope to sell the Merlin and Thales to navies in the region that need to upgrade their anti-submarine warfare capabilities: The obvious targets for such a sales strategy would be the Australian, Japanese and Indian navies.
The U.S. Navy may be a potential sales target for the Thales sonar, but as we noted Friday in this series, the U.S. Navy already has invested heavily in its own next-generation ASW sea-launched combat helicopters.
The choice of the Indian Ocean is also fascinating because it signifies a continuing British focus on power projection around the world rather than on simply focusing on defending Britain's own sea-lanes, especially to North America, in the event of some hypothetical future war.
It is probably true that British naval planners see the possibility of some future hostilities in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf region that could threaten global oil routes as far more likely than a full-scale war in the Northern Hemisphere that could put Britain's own sea-lanes and maritime commerce routes directly at risk. This certainly fits the pattern of the past 17 years. British armed forces, including major naval units, participated alongside the U.S. Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force in both the 1991 and the 2003 Gulf wars against Iraq. Any future hostilities with Iran would also involve a threat from Iran's Russian-supplied kilo-class diesel submarines. They would be the prime target for and threat to British naval units that might operate alongside the U.S. Navy in the event of such hostilities. Therefore, carrying out the ASW exercises in the Indian Ocean would make a great deal of strategic sense if such considerations are factored in.

Babcock Marine to Refit Royal Navy Frigate

£9m Makeover for HMS Monmouth

(Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued June 17, 2008)

The Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth is to get a boost to her top speed in a £9 million overhaul to be carried out by Babcock Marine at Rosyth in Scotland, Defence Minister, Baroness Taylor, announced today.

As well as essential routine maintenance work, the refit will furnish the ship with important new capabilities including an upgraded Surface Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD) system, and modifications to the gearbox systems to enable the ship to operate at increased power and speed. The crew will benefit from an overhaul of the living quarters and an updated air conditioning system, essential for operating in hotter climates. Enhanced safety mechanisms will also be installed including an updated fire detection system.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor, said:

"This work is vital for keeping our existing fleet in top condition, enhancing it with new technology which is essential to efficiently provide the Royal Navy with the capability it requires. This is an excellent contract for Babcock Marine and will help secure many jobs in Rosyth."

The MoD Surface Combatants team leader, Commodore Graham Peach, said: "Part of the refit work will include modifications to the ship's gearboxes so they can handle the maximum power output of the gas turbines. We think this will also give Monmouth a couple of knots extra speed. Overall, the work will equip Monmouth for many years more service."

Starting in June, the team in Rosyth is expected to spend eight months getting HMS Monmouth fighting fit.

The Type 23 frigates form the backbone of the Royal Navy's anti-submarine frigate force. They were the RN's first 'stealthy' ships, being equipped with a Combined Diesel Electric and Gas propulsion system that allows them to cruise slowly and quietly while hunting submarines.


BACKGROUND NOTES:
1. HMS Monmouth's refit is the sixth in the current batch to be placed under the Surface Ship Support (SSS) Project. This brings MoD and industry together to allocate work packages, and deliver affordable and sustainable complex warship support. This approach represents best value for Defence while at the same time helping to ensure sustainability and longevity for industry.

2. Dimensions: 133m x 16.1m x 5m
Weight: 4,900 tonnes
Speed: 28 knots
Complement: 185
In Service Date: 1993

3. In March HMS MONMOUTH sailed into Cardiff to receive visits from Monmouthshire dignitaries and organisations, reaffirming the ship's links with her affiliated borough. She is the seventh ship to bear the name.

mContracts signed for the two new aircraft carriers,with an expected launch date of 2014-2016,acc to BBC.
Video and Thales animation,can be found on the bbc news website at, . Click on world in the left hand side links and the video appears on the front page.

You beat me to it! Good news, indeed. I just hope that the frigate-replacement project is brought forward - otherwise the Royal Navy will have to reduce its non-critical missions such as helping out with anti-drug operations.

Official news .

The MOD today signed contracts with industry to build the two future aircraft carriers. The contracts, worth in the region of £3 billion, were signed with the newly-formed UK maritime Joint Venture, BVT Surface Fleet, and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance onboard HMS Ark Royal, one of the Royal Navy’s existing aircraft carriers and currently the Fleet Flagship.

Contracts authorised today encompass work worth:

• £1,325M for the construction of giant sections of both ships by BVT Surface Fleet at Govan on the Clyde and Portsmouth;
• £300M for the construction of giant sections of the ships at the BAE Systems yard at Barrow-in-Furness;
• £675M for the bow section and final assembly and completion of the ships by Babcock Marine, with assembly taking place at Rosyth;
• £425M for design and engineering for Thales UK; and
• £275M for design and supply of Mission Systems for BAE Systems Integrated Systems Technologies (Insyte).

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