The Navy Vol_64_Part2 2002 - Navy League of Australia

Intelligence. Surveillance, andReconnaissance) resources on newand existing air. land and sea assets• Upgrade older assets until newships, aircraft and systems arefielded• Provide more capable systems withgreater speed, longer endurance, andbelter onboard working spaces, allwith a common integrated supportinfrastructure that will significantlylower operating costs.• Design, build and deploy ihe first ofa new class of cutters for the CoasiGuard - the National Security Cuiter(NSC).ICGS' long-range Deepwatersolution will transform the force intomission-designed, fully integratedassets with complete life-cycle support.Submarines forMalaysiaThe Malaysian Ministry of Defence hasawarded European naval shipbuildersDCN International and Izar a contractlo build two medium-size Scorpenesubmarines.A Cutaway model of the Scorpene submarinebeing acquired by Malaysia. (DCN)The two new-generationconventional attack submarines (SSKs)will be built jointly by DCN and Izar.The first, to enter service in 2007. willbe assembled in Cherbourg (France) andthe second, to enter service in 2008. atlzar*s Cartagena shipyard in Spain.The Scorpene SSKs - alreadychosen by the Chilean Navy (two unitscurrently in production) - feature state-of-the-art developments derived directlyfrom France's submarine buildingprograms. The Scorpene offer excellentsize- and cost-effectiveness ratios.Designed for missions ranging fromanti-submarine and anti-surface warfareto special operations and intelligencegathering. Scorpene SSKs featureadvances in hull shape and modularconstruction plus a range of state-of-thearttechnologies. The combat systemcombines proven weapons handling andfire control with a complete sensorsuite. It is not known at this stage if AIP(Air Independent Propulsion) will beadded to the contract.Dutch submarine joinsfight on drugsThe Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN)has revealed that one of its Walrus-classsubmarines has been deployed tothe Caribbean to conduct covertsurveillance missions in the fightagainst drugs.HrMs ZEELEEUW has beenengaged in detecting, tracking andreporting suspect ship movements(including suspicious speedboats) offthe coasts of Colombia and Venezuelasince May. using its towed array sonar,hull-mounted sonar and above-watersensors such as periscopes andelectronic support measures masts.HrMs ZEELEEUW worked jointlywith Dutch P-3C Orions. frigates andother patrol assets assigned to the areain order to relieve USN assets for theWar on Terror.The 2,800-tonne diesel-electricsubmarine has also taken part in a USNavy-run Prospective CommandingOfficers Course off Puerto Rico, actingas sparring partner to the Los AngelesclassSSNs USS HARTFORD andJACKSONVILLE.Greece orders fourthType 214Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW)has won a EUR700 million (US$695m)contract to build a fourth Type 214 airindependentpropulsion submarine forthe Hellenic Navy. The boat, like twoof three already on order, will beconstructed at the HDW-ownedHellenic Shipyards in Skaramanga nearAthens.A German Type 212 starling sea trials. The 212and 214 share many similar features.FEARLESS forBrazil?It is understood that the Brazilian Navyis negotiating w ith the UK to acquire theformer RN amphibious assault shipHMS FEARLESS.FEARLESS was the last steampoweredship in the RN and retired fromservice in March of this year after 37years of service. During its final eightmonthdeployment the vessel operatedin the Gulf as part of Exercise "Sail"Sareea II' (see THE NAVY Vol 64 No. I.pp 24- 28) and then participated inOperation 'Veritas'. the UKcontribution to the US-led OperationEnduring Freedom.Currently alongside at PortsmouthNaval Base. FEARLESS is due to moveto a lay-up berth in the base pending afinal decision on its disposal.A British Army Lynx flies past the LPD HMSFEARLESS. FEARLESS may be sold to Braziland see out her days in the South Atlantic, whereshe is no stranger having seen extensive serviceduring Ihe Falklands War. (RN)It is understood that Brazil isinterested in buying both FEARLESSand its decommissioned sister ship.HMS INTREPID, which has been laidup at Portsmouth Naval Base for severalyears as a source of spares, with theintention of further cannibalisingINTREPID to provide a source of sparesand components for its sister vessel.However, there are now contraryindications that while INTREPID will beused as a source of spares, the ship itselfmay not form part of the sales package.India and Franceconduct naval exerciseIndia and France conducted joint navalmanoeuvres in the Arabian Sea in mid-May as part of Exercise 'Varuna II".their second bilateral exercise in asmany years. Held off Goa. this was thefirst time a French aircraft carrier hastaken part in a joint exercise with theIndian Navy.Participating in 'Varuna II' wereFrench aircraft carrier CHARLES DEGAULLE and the guided-missiledestroyer CASSARD: India contributedthe Rajput (Kashin ID-class destroyerINS RANVIJAY and Godavari-cl'assfrigate INS GODAVARI. French SuperEtendard and Rafale M fighter aircraftand four Indian Sea Harrier FRS.5l'salso took part. India decided towithdraw INS VIRAAT. its only aircraftcarrier, from the exercise at the lastmoment because of tensions withPakistan."As India is a democracy and has apowerful navy, it's important for us toexercise with it and build up confidencein areas of mutual interest." said RearAdm Francois Cluzel. the French taskforce commander.Indian Minister of Defence GeorgesFcrnandes visited CHARLES DEGAULLE on 14 May with Chief ofthe Indian Navy Adm MadvcndraSingh. The aim of 'Varuna II' was toimprove defence co-operation andinteroperability between India andFrance.Argentina seeksaircraft carrierArgentina has again articulated itsaspiration for an aircraft carriercapability, despite the country'seconomic disaster.Argentina has been without a carriersince 1988. when the UK-builtVEINTICINCO DE MAYO was retiredto undertake a US$200 million refit,which was never completed due tobudget cuts. In the mid-1990s Argentinawas offered the French aircraft carrierCLEMENCEAU. but could notafford it.In 2001 Brazil offered its ownageing 17,500-tonne carrier. MINA1SGERAIS. following its acquisition ofthe SAO PAULO (ex-FOCH). for onlyUS$2 million, to be used for trainingThe Brazilian Majestic class carrier MIN'AISGERAIS with an Argentine Super Etendardlanding. The Brazilian and Argentine navies airarms arc developing a joint air group to operatefrom Brazil's new aircraft carrier. SAO PAULO.purposes. However, the offer wasdeclined because of the carrier*?inability to launch any of Argentina'saircraft fully loaded.The Argentine Navy's aims to buildan aviation-capable principal ship, witha displacement of 15.000-20.000tonnes, to be built in the next decade,comes under a project called 'PlanApolo'.While plans arc being formulatedthe air arms of Argentian and Brazilhave conducted another joint exerciseto hone and retain carrier air powerskills.Between 1-5 May. surface vesselsand aircraft of the Armada dc laRcpublica Argentina (ARA) took part ina joint exercise. ARAEX 2002. with theBrazilian Navy off the Argentine coast,vessels included Brazil's Clemenceauclassaircraft carrier SAO PAULO (A12). For five days Super Etendards andS-2ET TracKers operated alongsideBrazilian A-4 Sky Hawks from theflight deck of SAO PAULO.Since the exercise both navies havebegun talks to create a joint Brazilian-Argentine air group.Since 1998 half of the BrazilianNavy's combat pilot trainees have beentrained by the US Navy, the other halfby the Argentine Navy in its NavalAviation School at Punta Indio.However, due to costs and a BrazilianNavy assessment of newly graduatedpilots, which demonstrated that thosetrained by the Argentines performedbetter, the Brazilian Navy plans to sendall of its fixed-wing combat aviationtrainees to Argentina.Aegis Baseline 7.1testing completeLockheed Martin Naval Electronic &Surveillance Systems (NE&SS)-SurfaceSystems has completed equipmenttesting of the latest iteration of the USNavy's Aegis Weapon System, knownas Baseline 7.1.The Arleigh Burkc-class guidedmissiledestroyer USS PINCKNEY(DDG-91) will be the first ship toreceive the Baseline 7.1 fit. withinstallation planned to take placetowards the end of this year.Major enhancements have beenmade within Baseline 7.1. includingtheatre ballistic missile (TBM)detection and tracking, improved littoralwarfare capability, and increased targethandling and detection sensitivity.This latest Aegis system configurationalso includes the new AN/SPY-1 D(V)radar, and further migrates the overallsystem to a commercial off-the-shelfcomputing architecture. Offering muchimproved performance in clutteredlittoral environments. SPY-ID(V) alsoincorporates a new Linear TrackProcessor to expand capability to theTBM defence mission.First South AfricanMEKO corvettenamedThe first MEKO A200 corvette for theSouth African Navy (SAN).AMATOLA, was named at theBlohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg on7 June.The first and third corvettes are tobe constructed at Blohm+Voss inHamburg, with HDW building thesecond and fourth of class in Kiel.Blohm+Voss will conduct sea trials forthe AMATOLA in November, followingwhich it is expected to be transferredin late December to South Africa.The SAN plans to commission theAMATOLA in August 2004.The SAN MEKO A20()s are to befitted with eight EADS AerospatialeExocet MM 40 Block II surface-tosurfacemissiles, a vertical-launchingsystem with 16 South AfricanUmkhonto surface-to-air missiles, arefurbished 76mm Oto Melara gunmount taken from the SAN's Warriorfast-attack craft and a 35mm dual-22VOL. 64 NO.ITHE NAVYTHE NAVY VOL. 64 NO. I 33