March 2017 News - Naval Forces, Defense Industry, Navy Technology, Maritime Security
 
 

Fincantieri Launched the 7th FREMM "Frederico Martinengo" for the Italian Navy
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FREMM FEDERICO MARTINENGO Italian Navy Fincantieri
The launching ceremony of the “Federico Martinengo” frigate, the seventh of a series of 10 FREMM vessels - Multi Mission European Frigates – took place on March 4th at the Riva Trigoso shipyard (Genoa). The 10 FREMM vessels have been commissioned to Fincantieri by the Italian Navy within the framework of an Italo-French cooperation program under the coordination of OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation sur l’Armement, the international organization for cooperation on arms).
 

Japan May Have Tested its New XASM-3 Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile for the First Time
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Russian Navy icebreaker Ilya Muromets project 21180
According to several witnesses from Japan (including open sources such as spoter pictures posted on Twitter), Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has probably conducted the first live fire test of the new XASM-3 supersonic anti-ship missile. The Japanese MoD was originally planning to test the missile in 2016, as we reported in 2015, but not such test occured last year.
 

Royal Navy Fires Sea Skua Anti-Ship Missile for the Last Time
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Last Sea Skua launch Royal Navy 1
The most successful weapon in the Royal Navy since World War 2 has been fired for the last time. The Sea Skua missile all but wiped out Saddam Hussein's Navy single-handedly in the first Gulf War in 1991, wrecking 14 enemy ships. But with the Lynx helicopter which carries it, just weeks away from being retired, the missiles were launched for the final time in the middle of the Atlantic as HMS Portland let rip - only the third time this century live Sea Skuas have been fired.
 

Russian Project 667BDRM / Delta IV-class SSBN K-117 Bryansk to be Overhauled
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Project 667BDRM Delta IV class Bryansk nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine SSBN
The Project 667BDRM (NATO reporting name: Delta IV-class) K-117 Bryansk nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine will have arrived at the Zvyozdochka Shipyard in Severodvinsk this year for shipyard repair, according to Zvyozdochka’s press office.
 

Airbus Helicopters H160 to Replace French Navy Dauphin, Panther & Alouette III Light Helicopters
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French Navy H160 HIL
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves le Drian announced today that 160 to 190 helicopters will be ordered from Airbus Helicopters. "I came here to tell you that I decided [...] to make the H160 the basis of the future joint light helicopter," the minister said during his visit to the factory in Southern France.
 

Shipyard to Lay Keel of First Two Project 636.3 Submarine for Russian Pacific Fleet
 
Belgian Navy Polux OPV P901 Russian Submarine 2 Two Project 636.3 (NATO reporting name: Improved Kilo-class) diesel-electric submarine designed for the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet will be laid by the Admiralty Wharfs Shipyard in St. Petersburg in northwest Russia in the first quarter of 2017, Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Korolyov said.
 

Government of Canada takes final step before building RCN Joint Support Ships
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Joint Support Ship JSS Canada TKMS 2
The Government of Canada awarded the design and production engineering contract for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Joint Support Ship (JSS). The Minister of Public Services and Procurement and the Minister of National Defence announced a $230 million contract with Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. that will help develop and finalize the design of the Navy’s JSS. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2018.
 

HII Laid the Keel of Future DDG 51 Flight IIA Destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr.
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USS Frank E Petersen Jr DDG 121
The keel of the future USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr. (DDG 121) was ceremoniously laid on Feb. 21 at Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard. Although official construction of DDG 121 began in April 2016, the keel laying symbolically recognizes the ceremonial beginning of the ship. The keel was said to be “fairly and truly laid” and was authenticated by D'Arcy Neller, the ship’s sponsor, and Donald Brabston, a master Ingalls shipbuilder.
 

Austal Completes Detailed Design Review for Australia's Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement
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Austal Pacific Patrol Boat PPB R
Austal is pleased to advise that the Detailed Design Review (DDR) for the A$306 million Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Project has been successfully completed on time and in accordance with the contracted schedule. A key element of the Commonwealth’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy, the PPB-R Project is contributing to the growth of Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability in the lead up to the Offshore Patrol Vessel and Future Frigate programs for the Royal Australian Navy, due to commence in 2018 and 2020, respectively.
 

US Navy Orders Five F/A-18E Super Hornets & Seven EA-18G Growlers From Boeing
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EA 18G Growler Grounded US Navy 1
The U.S. Navy ordered seven Lot 40 EA-18G Growlers and five F/A-18E Super Hornet fighters from Boeing in a $678.6 million contract. The deal also includes associated airborne electronic attack kits, likely the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ). Raytheon's NGJ solution was selected by the U.S. Navy in 2013 to replace the legacy ALQ-99 systems used on the EA-18G airborne electronic attack aircraft.
 

Third Project 11356 Frigate Admiral Makarov to be Delivered to Russian Navy in June
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Admiral Makarov Project 11356 frigate
The Project 11356 (NATO reporting name: Admiral Grigorovich-class) Admiral Makarov frigate is planned to be delivered to Russia’s Navy in June 2017 after it tests the Shtil (NATO reporting name: SA-N-12 Grizzly) air defense missile system at sea, spokesman of Russia’s Yantar Shipyard Sergei Mikhailov told TASS.
 

Last Two of Six Russia-Built Project 636.1 Submarines Commissioned with Vietnamese Navy
 
Project 636.1 Kilo class submarine SSK Russia Vietnam The flag of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has been hoisted aboard two Russian-built Project 636.1 (NATO reporting name: Improved Kilo-class) submarines in a ceremony held at the Cam Ranh naval base and attended by Vietnamese Defense Minister Nguy•n Xuan Phuc and the National Defense Ministry and Navy leadership.
 

Leonardo to upgrade Italian Navy NH90s NFH Helicopters with Mode 5 IFF technology
 
Italian Navys NH90 NFHs mode 5 IFF Leonardo Leonardo has been awarded a contract worth €11M by the NATO agency NAHEMA, on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Defence (Direzione degli Armamenti Aeronautici e per l’Aeronavigabilità – DAAA), to provide its New Generation Identification Friend or Foe (NGIFF) interrogator, called the SIT434/5, for the Italian Navy NH90 NFHs (Nato Frigate Helicopters). The SIT434/5 has been integrated on the NH90 NFH by Leonardo, and qualification tests on the Italian Navy NH90 have been completed successfully. The Italian MoD will be first to gain Mode 5 IFF capability for their NH90 helicopters.
 

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