December 2020 news

Naval Forces, Defense Industry, Navy Technology, Maritime Security


According to information released by the U.S. Department of Defense on December 4, 2020, a CMV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft has conducted first landings, take-offs, and refueling on the flight deck of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The CMV-22B is the U.S. Navy version of the Osprey, a multi-engine, dual-piloted, self-deployable, medium-lift, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tilt-rotor aircraft.

According to information published by the Russian Press agency TASS on December 4, 2020, Russia’s aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is ready to return at sea and to undergo sea trials in 2022 after the fire aboard the aircraft carrier in December 2019, a source in the national shipbuilding corporation told TASS on Friday, December 4, 2020.

According to a contract published by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on December 3, 2020, American company Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $90,264,588 firm-fixed-price contract for 23 Submarine High Data Rate (SubHDR) antenna systems od U.S. Navy. The SubHDR antenna system is used to provide submarines with high capacity communications.

According to a contract released by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on December 3, 2020, General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. – San Diego, San Diego, California, is awarded a $100,040,336 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of the USS Comstock (LSD 45) Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship fiscal 2021 docking selected restricted availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of the USS Comstock (LSD 45).

According to a press release published on December 1, 2020, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd., (GRSE), Kolkata, laid the keel of the 2nd Survey Vessel (Large) (Yard 3026) at Kattupalli, Chennai. The Virtual Keel Laying ceremony was performed in the august presence of Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar AVSM, NM, Chief Hydrographer to the Govt. of India. The ceremony was also attended by Rear Admiral VK Saxena, IN (Retd), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE, other Directors and other senior officials from the Indian Navy and the Shipyard.

According to information published by the Russian press agency TASS on December 3, 2020, a working group of officers from the Navy’s main command being led by Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief Vice-Admiral Vladimir Kasatonov has checked the construction of new infrastructural facilities at the rescuer and diver training center of the Navy’s Joint Training Center, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press office said.

The Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant is still under construction at Kochi shipyard but Covid-19 hampered its progress, The New Indian Express reports in its December 4 edition, otherwise sea trials would have begun by now. INS Vikrant will be inducted in 2022. The Indian Navy requires at least two aircraft carriers for surveillance.

According to a statement released by the Australian Department of Defence on December 3, 2020, the Australian Morrison Government’s Future Submarine Program continues to progress with the contract signing for the design of the primary underwater sensor of the submarine. The contract has been signed with Thales UK Ltd, through Lockheed Martin Australia, for the design of the outboard flank array and partnering arrangements with the Australian industry.

According to a press release published on December 2, 2020, the first steel was cut on the Royal Netherlands Navy’s (RNLN) Combat Support Ship (CSS) Den Helder at Damen Shipyards Galati, Romania. The cutting is the first of sixteen batches, totaling 7500 tonnes of steel in 180 sections. his marks an important milestone in this project, the first tangible part of the construction.

The Australian government announced on December 3 that it is backing Australian industry through its up to $183 billion Naval Shipbuilding Plan, with the selection of a new Capability Life Cycle Manager for the Arafura-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV). Raytheon Australia has been selected to initially help support the transition into service for the OPV’s, while setting the foundations for through-life asset management.

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