NAVAL NEWS October 2021

Navy Forces Naval Maritime Defense Security Industry


According to information published by Naval Group on October 7, 2021, the French firm brings together its customers, industry and academic partners for the fifth edition of the Naval Innovation Days in Issy-les-Moulineaux. On this occasion, Naval Group presented several innovation programs designed to ensure the naval superiority of today's and tomorrow’s navies, like the Oceanic Underwater drone demonstrator.

In December 2019, following a call for tenders, the French Maritime Affairs placed an order to OCEA for its new offshore patrol vessel, the "GYPTIS", which will be based in Marseille. The vessel, type OCEA OPV 150, specifically designed for sustainable and responsible navigation, has just been launched by the OCEA shipyard and is now starting a phase of sea trials before its delivery scheduled for the beginning of the year.

The A18D Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) was evaluated recently by the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), the French Navy and the Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (Shom) as part of the Future Hydrographic and Oceanographic Capacity (CHOF) programme. The aim of this armament programme is to update and develop France’s current capacity for oceanographic and hydrographic data acquisition and processing.

According to a contract published by the United States Department of Defense on October 8, 2021, General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $482,115,887 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract for lead yard support and development studies and design efforts related to Virginia-class SSN-774 nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines.

According to a contract released by the United States Department of Defense on October 4, 2021, L-3Harris Technologies Inc., Northampton, Massachusetts, was awarded an $18,420,649 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only contract for the procurement of MK 20 electro-optical sensor systems (EOSS), radar cross-section kits, installation and checkout and on board repair parts kits, engineering support services, and depot spares for the U.S. Navy.

According to information published by the United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency on October 8, 2021, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of 12 MH-60R Multi-Mission Naval Helicopters, Related Defense Services, and related equipment for an estimated cost of $985 million.

According to information published by the Taiwan News website on October 7, 2021, Taiwan started construction on a second Tuo Chiang-class corvette in Yilan County on October 6, 2021. The new corvette is being built in partnership with shipbuilder Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co., the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), and the Taiwanese Navy.

According to information released on October 8, 2021, Thales launches the world's first fixed-panel friend-FOE identification system for the French Navy's future frigates. Identifying air targets after they have been detected is crucially important in the theatre of operations. To meet this need of the Forces, Thales is unveiling the TSA6000, the latest addition to its family of IFF (identification friend or foe) interrogators.

On October 4, the Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), and JMSDF training ship JS Kashima (TV 3508) conducted the CODEP, consisting of unit exercises testing cooperation, communication and interoperability in advanced ship maneuvering and tactics.

According to a press release published by IAI on October 6, 2021, Estonian Centre for Defence Investment (ECDI) has signed a contract with Proteus Advanced Systems Pte. Ltd., a joint venture company of Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) and ST Engineering Land Systems Ltd. (ST), to equip the Estonian Defence Forces with Blue Spear (5G SSM) missile systems.

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