Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: Aivlis

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ORIGINAL: jtoatoktoe

I'd like to see them combine the Ram Missile and the actual gun for better protection. I'd rather have the backup of hundreds of bullets instead of a 11 cell missile launcher. I guess at the end of the story it does say they'd both be deployed on destroyers. But mount both together and configure the radar system to know how and when to fire each system and you got a pretty damn good close in shield...in theory.

You mean, like the Kashtan system? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashtan_CIWS

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ORIGINAL: Dysta

Like Kashtan, but the CIWS platform will be drastically bigger and complicated than a single weapon mount. Increasing weight which will affect the seaworthiness, built cost, maintenance complexity, radar signature, and even the gun's oscillation when firing will giving risk to affecting the SeaRAM (Or relative missiles)'s performance to intercept simultaneously.

The safer approach is giving each platform a different kind of single weapon mount, like autocannon upfront, and SeaRAM/SAM at the stern. It's indeed weaker than two Ks defensively. However, like most of the warships, they're not designed to be hit, so why not put longer ranged SAMs in VLS some better use?

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The Project 11356 lead frigate Admiral Grigorovich has joined the Russian Navy. The St. Andrew’s flag has been hoisted on the vessel, a TASS correspondent reports from the scene. "This day is, indeed, an important event for the Black Sea Fleet. We are receiving a frigate that can operate in distant waters. This is the first vessel built at the Russian rather than Soviet wharves," Black Sea Fleet Commander Alexander Vitko said.

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The mini-drones were tested over Alaska last year as part of the military exercise Northern Edge, which focuses on training for crises in the Pacific. The program is named after Perdix, a character in Greek mythology who was changed into a partridge by the god Athena. It costs about $20 million, Roper said. The drones are constructed using 3-D printing — important considering the specific size needed to launch them through an aircraft’s flare dispenser and the toughness needed to survive such a violent birth.

Roper said SCO has been testing the mini-drones since 2014, but last year’s experiment during Northern Edge showed that they can find each other while airborne and create a swarm. Perdix drones were tested 150 times during the exercise in Alaska, including 72 from fighter jets. They also can be launched from the ground by U.S. troops, either with a slingshot-like launcher or by hurling them.

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One of the office’s ideas is to transform F-16s and other fast jets into high-speed launchers for swarms of small drones that could confuse enemy defenses or perform surveillance.

“Just imagine an airplane going in against an [integrated air defense] system and dropping 30 of these out that form into a network and do crazy things,” Bob Work, the deputy defense secretary, told trade publication Breaking Defense. “We’ve tested this. We’ve tested it and it works.”

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The Perdix drones are 3D-printed out of Kevlar and carbon-fiber. Powered by lithium-ion batteries — the same kind you’d find in a cell phone — the Perdixes launch from a standard flare dispenser, like on the F-16, F/A-18 and other warplanes.

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Military expert Konstantin Sivkov, a member of the Russian Academy of Rocket, Missile and Artillery Sciences, Ph.D. (military sciences), has assessed a hypothetical battle between a Russian Navy Project 1164 Atlant-class (NATO reporting name: Slava-class) missile cruiser and a US Navy Ticonderoga-class cruiser. The calculation has been performed for each of the compared ships. It has covered all of the missions considered and possible courses of action, and the calculation of an integral effectiveness index of the ships.

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When responding to questions from Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL), U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) Commander Admiral Harry Harris outlined his strong support for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) programs during a House Armed Services Committee this morning. The Independence class LCS and EPF are built by Austal USA in Mobile.

Admiral Harris called the LCS a “terrific platform to work with our allies and partners in the region.” He went on to say that he has always valued the LCS, dating back to his time as Pacific Fleet Commander for the Navy. “I believe there is a place for LCS in the joint force, now that I am the PACOM commander,” Harris said.

Byrne also asked Admiral Harris to explain why the LCS is so important as it relates to supporting United States allies in the region from adversaries like China and Russia.

“A lot of our friends and partners in the region have small navies,” Admiral Harris said. “They want to learn from us, or they want to learn from somebody, and I’d rather they learn from us than other potential partners. There navies are small and when a cruiser comes in there or even a DDG for that matter, it can overwhelm them. So, an LCS is the right platform to do that. It is also the right platform to train in areas of shallower depths.”

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Russia is in talks with India to sell three Project 11356 frigates originally intended for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Vice-President of the United Ship-Building Corporation for Warship Construction Igor Ponomaryov told TASS on Friday. "We are fulfilling the state defense order and building these frigates. At the same time, we are holding talks on the possibility of selling these vessels to India," Ponomaryov said.
"This has not been decided," Ponomaryov said in reply to a TASS question about whether a decision had been made to sell these frigates. "We are holding talks and fulfilling the state defense contract. But such talks are in progress," he said.

According to Ponomaryov, the engines for these frigates "have been fully paid for by the Ukrainian side. They are in Ukraine and we will be resolving the issue related to these engines."

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French shipbuilder DCNS will deliver France's third Aquitaine-class FREMM (Frégate Européenne Multi-Mission) frigate on 16 March, a company's spokesperson told IHS Jane's on 10 March.

Languedoc (D653) will be delivered to the European defence procurement body Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) on behalf of the French procurement agency (DGA) at the French Navy's Toulon Naval Base in southern France.

The ship was launched at DCNS's Lorient shipyard, western France, in July 2015; sea trials commenced in October. Languedoc sailed for Toulon in mid-February 2016, where final trials were held.

Languedoc follows lead ship Aquitaine (D650), which was delivered in November 2012, and Provence (D652), which was delivered in June 2015. Languedoc is the first FREMM to be based in Toulon.

Of the planned eight-ship FREMM programme, three anti-submarine warfare (ASW) variants are in build. These ships - Auvergne , Bretagne , and Normandie - are scheduled for delivery in 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively, the company spokesperson told IHS Jane's . Ship six, Normandie , has taken the name of the second unit built for France, which subsequently was sold to Egypt.

France's programme will deliver by 2022 six ASW ships to replace its F 70 and F 67 ships, and two anti-air warfare ships to replace F 70 ships Cassard (D614) and Jean Bart (D615).

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ORIGINAL: navyrecognition

Comparison: Russian Navy Slava-class and US Navy Ticonderoga-class Cruisers in Combat

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Military expert Konstantin Sivkov, a member of the Russian Academy of Rocket, Missile and Artillery Sciences, Ph.D. (military sciences), has assessed a hypothetical battle between a Russian Navy Project 1164 Atlant-class (NATO reporting name: Slava-class) missile cruiser and a US Navy Ticonderoga-class cruiser. The calculation has been performed for each of the compared ships. It has covered all of the missions considered and possible courses of action, and the calculation of an integral effectiveness index of the ships.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3691

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The Moskva will use its Vulkan cruise missiles to attack land-based targets.

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China makes advance payment for S-400 air defense system delivery

The deliveries of S-400 air defense systems to China under this contract may begin in the first quarter of 2017, Rostec head Chemezov said

China has paid Russia an advance under a contract signed last year for the delivery of S-400 Triumf antiaircraft missile systems, Russia’s state hi-tech corporation Rostec Head Sergei Chemezov told TASS on Friday.

"We still have to go through a whole number of formal procedures, which we have not yet completed, although we have already received an advance payment. I believe we’ll settle these procedures by the end of the year," Chemezov said.

The deliveries of S-400 air defense systems to China under this contract may begin in the first quarter of 2017, Chemezov said.

A source in the system of Russia’s military and technical cooperation earlier told TASS that Beijing would receive the first S-400 antiaircraft missile systems no sooner than in twelve or eighteen months.

China’s deal to purchase S-400 Triumf systems was officially announced in the spring of 2015. Russia’s state arms seller Rosoboronexport Head Anatoly Isaikin didn’t disclose at the time the details of the contract, the number of S-400 systems that would be purchased by China or the timeframe of the deliveries.

According to media reports, the deal involves no less than six S-400 battalions worth a total of $3 billion.

The S-400 Triumf is the most advanced Russian medium- and long-range antiaircraft missile system that went into service in 2007.

As many as 16 regiments of the Russian Army are expected to be armed with S-400 systems by the end of 2016.

China has become the first foreign customer of S-400 antiaircraft missile systems.

One S-400 system can acquire 36 targets at a time with 72 missiles at a distance of 400 km. The S-400 Triumf antiaircraft complex is capable of hitting targets at an altitude of 30 km and can be used against ground objectives.

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Argentina coast guard sinks Chinese trawler fishing illegally

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's coast guard has sunk a Chinese trawler that was fishing illegally within its territorial waters, the coast guard said on Tuesday, marking a first test for relations between President Mauricio Macri and Beijing.

In a high-seas chase, a coast guard vessel on Monday pursued the fishing vessel Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 toward international waters, firing warning shots across the Chinese boat's bow as it attempted to raise the crew by radio.

"On several occasions, the offending ship performed maneuvers designed to force a collision with the coast guard, putting at risk not only its own crew but coast guard personnel, who were then ordered to shoot parts of the vessel," the coast guard said in a statement.

It was not clear if the vessel sank on Monday or Tuesday.

Macri's center-right government, which took office in December, will likely be keen to avoid a diplomatic ruckus with the Asian powerhouse which has gained a strong foothold in South America, traditionally the United States' back yard.

Relations between Argentina and China tightened under former leftist leader Cristina Fernandez. While Macri promised during last year's presidential race to review all new contracts with China, he has shown no sign of doing so. Among those deals were an agreement to finance and build two nuclear power plants in Argentina in a deal worth up to $15 billion.

A spokesman for Argentina's foreign ministry said the judiciary was investigating the incident. Officials at the Chinese Embassy in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, were not available for comment.

Coast guards using radar picked up the trawler fishing off the coast of Puerto Madryn, Chubut province, a zone known for squid.

Shots were fired into the hull of the Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 after it ignored radio calls to allow the Argentine coast guard to board and repeated warning fire. The crew abandoned ship when the vessel began to go down.

Four crewmen were rescued by the coast guard while others were picked up by another Chinese vessel shadowing the pursuit.

China has the world's largest distant water fishing fleet, with more than 2,000 vessels, the not-for-profit group Stop Illegal Fishing said last year.

(Reporting by Juliana Castilla and Richard Lough; Editing by Grant McCool and Matthew Lewis)

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Spotted by Navy Recognition and French naval news website Mer et Marine during a visit in Toulon naval base: The Mistral class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Dixmude (the third in the series) has received its NARWAHL remote weapon stations (RWS). Dixmude is the first of the mistral class to receive the weapon upgrade.

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The Algerian Navy has commissioned a second China-built C28A guided missile corvette, according to a report carried by the semi-official Chinese newspaper PLA Daily on 15 March and corroborated by IHS Jane's with Algerian internet sources.

The vessel, which has been named El Fatih and given the pennant number 921, was commissioned in Algiers on 10 March in a ceremony attended by the Algerian People's National Army chief of staff, General Ahmed Gaid Salah, images of the ceremony retrieved from social media has confirmed.

El Fatih is part of a three-vessel contract signed between the Algerian Ministry of Defence and China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC) in May 2012. First-of-class Adhafer (920) was commissioned in November 2015.

According to IHS Jane's Fighting Ships, the C28A platform features an overall length of 120 m, an overall beam of 14.4 m, and a hull draught of 3.87 m. Powered by four MTU 12V 1163 TB93 diesel engines, the vessel has a top speed of 28 kt and a standard range of 3,500 n miles at 16 kt.

The 2,800-tonne vessel is armed with an export variant of a 76 mm naval gun, the NG-16-1, as its primary weapon, and two Type 730B seven-barrelled 30 mm gun turrets as its close-in weapon system.

The platform has also been equipped with two quad launchers mounted transversely amid ships that can deploy the C-802 anti-ship missiles and one FM-90N point defence missile system behind its main gun. Submarine prosecution capability is provided for by six (two triple) 324 mm torpedo tubes that fire through an opening in the hull.

The vessel's suite of sensors includes the Thales Smart-S Mk 2 radar and command, control, and communication systems.

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ORIGINAL: redcoat

Algeria commissions second Chinese-built C28A corvette

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The French Navy (Marine Nationale) released a video showing the last operational catapult launch for the Super Etendard Modernisé (SEM) from aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The event which took place March 16 2016 as Charles de Gaulle was coming back to Toulon naval base from its deployment in the Middle East marks the end of an era for the SEM.

As per tradition to bid farewell, a large part of the Charles de Gaulle crew gathered on the flight deck and the catapult officer launched the last SEM with a saber in his right hand.

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ORIGINAL: MR_BURNS2

This article says the P-1000 can attack land targets, can someone confirm this ability with other sources?

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The Moskva will use its Vulkan cruise missiles to attack land-based targets.

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USAF working on new defensive missile for fighters

US industry could be competing within three years to develop a new self-defence missile for fighters aimed at countering the latest generation of Russian- and Chinese-made air-to-air weapons, says a top Lockheed Martin executive.

For several years, the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and several contractors, including Lockheed, Raytheon and Boeing, have been researching concepts and subsystems that could be used in a new kind of air-to-air weapon.

In Lockheed’s concept, this miniature self-defence munition (MDSM) – about half the size of a 3.7m (12ft)-long Raytheon AIM-120D AMRAAM – would boast a limited capability to shoot down opposing aircraft in short-range engagements, says Frank St. John, vice-president of tactical missile and combat manoeuvre systems, speaking on 15 March at Lockheed’s annual Media Day.

But the main purpose of the weapon, also known as the small advanced capabilities missile (SACM) would be to intercept and destroy incoming enemy missiles, such as the long-range, Chinese-made PL-12 and Russian-made Vympel RVV-BD.

“I know that MSDM and SACM and all of those things are responses to those threats in some way as a self defence capability for our aircraft,” St. John says.

St. John estimates the air force could be ready to launch a competition in 18 to 30 months for the new weapon, which, if funded, would add to the internal-carriage arsenal of the F-22 and F-35.

Lockheed’s concept is based on a hit-to-kill weapon that destroys a target with kinetic power alone. Powered by a small rocket motor, it would leverage technology developed for the upgraded PAC-3 missile segment enhancement (MSE) Patriot missile. Lockheed is continuing to study radar and imaging-based sensors for terminal guidance, St. John says.

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USAF working on new defensive missile for fighters

US industry could be competing within three years to develop a new self-defence missile for fighters aimed at countering the latest generation of Russian- and Chinese-made air-to-air weapons, says a top Lockheed Martin executive.

For several years, the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and several contractors, including Lockheed, Raytheon and Boeing, have been researching concepts and subsystems that could be used in a new kind of air-to-air weapon.

In Lockheed’s concept, this miniature self-defence munition (MDSM) – about half the size of a 3.7m (12ft)-long Raytheon AIM-120D AMRAAM – would boast a limited capability to shoot down opposing aircraft in short-range engagements, says Frank St. John, vice-president of tactical missile and combat manoeuvre systems, speaking on 15 March at Lockheed’s annual Media Day.

But the main purpose of the weapon, also known as the small advanced capabilities missile (SACM) would be to intercept and destroy incoming enemy missiles, such as the long-range, Chinese-made PL-12 and Russian-made Vympel RVV-BD.

“I know that MSDM and SACM and all of those things are responses to those threats in some way as a self defence capability for our aircraft,” St. John says.

St. John estimates the air force could be ready to launch a competition in 18 to 30 months for the new weapon, which, if funded, would add to the internal-carriage arsenal of the F-22 and F-35.

Lockheed’s concept is based on a hit-to-kill weapon that destroys a target with kinetic power alone. Powered by a small rocket motor, it would leverage technology developed for the upgraded PAC-3 missile segment enhancement (MSE) Patriot missile. Lockheed is continuing to study radar and imaging-based sensors for terminal guidance, St. John says.

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The Indian Navy has deployed a P 8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft to Seychelles since 20 Mar 16, for surveillance in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Seychelles, in accordance with the MoU between the Governments of India and Seychelles. The Indian Navy has, in the past, undertaken surveillance missions in the Seychellois EEZ twice a year, by deploying IN ships. The last such deployment was undertaken by ships of the 1st Training Squadron of the Indian Navy, in Oct 15. This is the first time that the P8I aircraft has been deployed to Seychelles.

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The upgrade of the Project 971 Bars-class (NATO reporting name: Akula-class) nuclear-powered attack submarines will afford them missiles of the Kalibr (SS-N-27 Sizzler) system, Viktor Kochemazov, chief, Training Department, Russian Navy, told the RSN radio channel in an interview on Monday. "Now, the upgrade of the Project 971 submarines provides for equipping them with the missile system," he said.

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Russia’s Pacific Fleet has received the Project 971 (Akula-class) nuclear-powered submarine Kuzbass (K-419) that underwent repairs at the Zvezda Shipyard in the Primorye Territory in the Russian Far East, the regional administration said on Monday. The nuclear-powered submarine Kuzbass is armed with missiles and torpedoes.

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Gulfstream Aerospace has won a $91million U.S. Navy contract to supply one Gulfstream G-550 Green aircraft with Airborne Early Warning air vehicle modifications in support of a range support aircraft replacement.

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Following the detection of what was reported to be a Russian SSBN by the French Navy, our colleagues from French naval magazine Le Marin are reporting that the submarine may actually be a former SSBN converted into a special purpose submarine for intelligence gathering mission. This assumption, coming from a "well connected source" is interesting and makes much more sense than the SSBN speculation.

The Russian Navy currently has two known "special purpose" submarine, the newest is the Podmoskovye (BS-64) and the oldest the Orenburg (BS-136).

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AgustaWestland was awarded by the Philippine's Department of National Defense with the contract to provide two anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters. The two AW159 Wildact helicopters will be assigned to Philippine Navy. The award was made after DND announced in late 2015 that AgustaWestland was the sole proponent for the said project.
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The AW159 Wildcat is in use with the UK Army Air Corps and Royal Navy. It has also been ordered (8 units) by the Republic of Korea Navy. The Philippine Navy becomes the second export customer of the Wildcat.

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J-16 is capable of carrying a variety of indigenous guided weapons, such as PL-8, PL-10, PL-12 AAM, KD-88 ASM, LS-500J LGB, 500kg standoff submunition dispenser (TL500/GB6?). It might also carry a new targeting pod underneath the engine intake similar to American AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pod

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A scientific breakthrough in a Ministry of Defence research project could pave the way for a scanners that one day could see underground or through walls.

A team of scientists including experts at the MoD’s Porton Down labs have developed a new device that can detect tiny fluctuations in gravity.

The device revealed in a BBC Horizon documentary could one day also lead to sensors that are immune to jamming or stealth technology designed to beat conventional systems like radar.

The technology could also lead to new ways of navigating that would replace GPS satellites which are vulnerable to enemy attack, as well as having many civilian uses ...

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ORIGINAL: Hongjian

TL-500/GB-6 on J-16/JH-7

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The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that two US Marine Corps V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft conducted a series of "touch and go" and refuelling aboard Mistral class LHD Tonnerre on March 19 2016. While V-22s have been tested with the Mistral class several times to date (they were even officially qualified with the Mistral class last year) it is the first time that a back-to-back refuelling of two Ospreys (with engines running) was performed.

This joint maneuver "is a first for the Tonnerre, very few units have this interoperability capability with this type of aircraft," said Captain Sudrat, commander of the LHD. "Our cooperation with the US Navy is based on a very high level of trust, which today's operations contribute to maintain." He added.

"The Americans made the request for this test and had no anxiety in performing these delicate maneuvers with the LHD" confirmed the Lieutenant de Vaisseau (Captain) in charge of the airwing aboard Tonnerre.