Ma reggel hosszú cikket közölt a South China Morning Post a tegnap esti dunai hajóbalesetről, amelyben a jelenlegi információk szerint 7-en meghaltak, 7-en megsérültek és a 21-en eltűntek. A hajón összesen 35 ember utazott, 33 dél koreai és a 2 fős magyar személyzet utazott. A portál azt írja az utat szervező dél-koreai utazási iroda információi alapján, hogy a dél-koreai csoportban 30 turista volt, két idegenvezető és egy fotós. A legtöbben a családjukkal utaztak, a legfiatalabb utas 6 éves volt, a legidősebb 71 éves. A csapat egy 13 napos túrán vett részt Kelet-Európában és a Balkánon. Az utazási iroda az eddigi hét halálos áldozat 16 családtagját még ma éjszaka elrepíti Budapestre. Az Országos Rendőr-főkapitányság szóvivője ma az M1-nek azt nyilatkozta, hogy több fázisból álló művelettel emelik majd ki a Dunából a hajó roncsait, amely az éjjel összeütközött egy szállodahajóval, majd elsüllyedt a Parlamentnél.
Közölték politikai források, amelyek szerint ennek oka az lenne, hogy ő volt a külügyminiszter 2014-ben, amikor súlyos rendellenességeket tapasztaltak a külföldi választási körzetekben az államelnök-választás első fordulójában.Viorica Dăncilă miniszterelnök tegnap küldte el javaslatait Klaus Johannisnak a jelenleg ügyvivők által – több mint egy hónapja – betöltött tisztségekre. Eszerint Titus Corlăţean lenne a kormányfő-helyettes, Ana Birchall venné át az igazságügyi tárcát, Roxana Mânzatu az európai alapokért felelős minisztériumot, Natalia Intotero pedig a külhoni románokért felelős tárcát vezetné (ismét). Az elképzelés szerint a karrierdiplomata Titus Corlăţean a stratégiai partnerségekért felelt volna miniszterelnök-helyettesként, és Viorel Ştefant váltaná a tisztségben, akit kineveztek az Európai Számvevőszékbe.
Az Erdélyi Magyar Néppárt vezetősége tudomásul vette, hogy volt alelnöke, a márciusi tisztújító közgyűlésen egy szavazattal alulmaradt Soós Sándor a bíróságon támadta meg az elnökválasztás eredményét, de „nincs idő foglalkozni azzal, aki kilépett a politikából” – fogalmazta meg az EMNP álláspontját Toró T. Tibor alelnök. Soós Sándor, az EMNP volt alelnöke és a végső győztes Csomortányi István ellenében egy szavazattal alulmaradt elnökjelölt egy hete jelentette be, hogy az igazságszolgáltatásnál óvja meg a tisztújítás eredményét, s egyúttal ki is lépett a pártból. Az EMNP hivatalos értesítést még nem kapott erről, de Toró T. Tibor szerint a Kolozs Megyei Törvényszék honlapján látták, hogy iktattak egy erre vonatkozó keresetet. Soós Sándor elsősorban azt kifogásolta, hogy ellenjelöltjét, Csomortányi Istvánt úgy hirdették ki a tisztújítás győztesének, hogy egyikük sem kapta meg a leadott szavazatok többségét.
Kovács Vilmos ezredes szükségszerűnek nevezte a jó kapcsolatokat az érintett országok között, hiszen a magyar hősök jelentős része más államban nyugszik, és Magyarországon is temettek el külföldieket a háborúk alatt. Hozzátette, hogy a hősök emlékezetét méltatlanul elhanyagolták a rendszerváltás előtti évtizedekben, ezért sok feladat maradt az utókorra ezen a téren is.
A parancsnok közölte, hogy az első világháborús hadisírok rendbetételére elkülönített kétmilliárd forintos keret hetven-nyolcvan százalékát már lekötötték. A pályázati összegből – mint mondta – harmincezer katonai sír újulhat meg országszerte, függetlenül az ott nyugvók nemzetiségétől.
Magyarország Európában elsőként, 1917-ben gondoskodott törvényi szintű szabályozással a hősi halottak emlékének ápolásáról, 1924-ben pedig minden év májusának utolsó vasárnapját jelölték ki a magyar hősök emlékünnepévé – mondta Kovács.
Tegnap este negyed 10-kor felborult és elsüllyedt egy hajó a Dunán Budapesten a Parlamentnél, miután összeütközött egy szállodahajóval. Éjjel fél 1-kor a Mentőszolgálat szóvivője azt mondta, legalább 7 ember halt meg, 7 embert kórházban ápolnak, sokakat pedig nagy erőkkel keresnek. Tóth Mihály, az Európa Cégcsoport és a Panoráma Deck Kft. szóvivője az MTI-nek azt mondta, főleg távol-keleti turisták voltak a hajón. A 24.hu azt írta, dél-koreai turistákról van szó, a dél-koreai nagykövetség munkatársai pedig folyamatosan a helyszínen vannak. A szöuli kormány egy legalább 18 fős csoportot küld Magyarországra a tragédia érintettjeinek segítésére, illetve feltehetően az áldozatok hazaszállítása érdekében. Tóth Mihály szerint rutinszerű hajós városnézés közben történt a baleset. Azt mondta, semmit sem tudnak a körülményekről, hogy mi történt és hogyan történt. Ezt a hatóságok vizsgálják, ám az elsődleges vizsgálatok – a közmédia hajnali közlése szerint – nem állapítottak meg szabálytalanságot. A roncs a Margit híd pillérétől három méterre van a Duna mélyén. Hogy mikor tudják kiemelni, azt még nem tudni. Az Index szerint a baleset úgy történt, hogy a Hableányba a Margit hídnál hátulról belefutott egy szállodahajó, és felborította. A mentést nehezíti, hogy a megáradt, 15 fokos folyónak nagyon erős a sodrása, és az eső miatt – a világítási próbálkozások ellenére – a látási viszonyok is elég rosszak.
„Nagyon valószínűnek tartja” Raluca Turcan, a Nemzeti Liberális Párt képviselőházi frakcióvezetője, hogy az RMDSZ „elkötelezze magát” a kormány elleni bizalmatlansági indítvány támogatása mellett. A Népi Mozgalom Pártja jelezte, ők támogatnák a kabinet megbuktatását. Turcan – aki a képviselőházi elnöki tisztségért zajlott tegnapi szavazáson alulmaradt a PSD és az ALDE által támogatott Marcel Ciolacuval szemben – rámutatott, meglátása szerint a Pro Románia párt alkut kötött a PSD-vel, és képviselőházi frakciójuk megalakításának jóváhagyása fejében hozzásegítette a koalíciós pártok jelöltjét a házelnöki tisztséghez. A felvetést a Pro Románia mindkét vezetője, Victor Ponta és Daniel Constantin is cáfolta. Utóbbi azt is kijelentette, hogy az alakulat készen áll arra, hogy megszavazza a kormány ellen benyújtandó bizalmatlansági indítványt, amennyiben azt a napokban a parlament elé terjesztik. A tegnapi plénumon Marcel Ciolacut, a PSD jelöltjét választották a képviselőház új elnökének. A PSD-s politikus 172 szavazatot kapott a szükséges 165 helyett, az ellenzék közös jelöltje, a nemzeti liberális Raluca Turcan 100-at, míg Kelemen Hunor RMDSZ-elnök 20-at.
A körbekerített részekre szombat hajnalig már csak a munkálatokat végzők és a biztonságért felelő hatóságok léphetnek be. A pápai szentmise helyszínére érkezőket a hétfőn felállított óriási székelykapu fogadja. Elkészült egy székelyudvarhelyi műhelyben a pápai szentmise oltára, a pápai trónus: a szék, amin a pápa a mise alatt ülni fog, valamint az asszisztencia ülőalkalmatosságai. Mindez a pápai mise után a csíksomlyói ferences szerzeteseknél marad, és búcsúk alkalmával fogják a későbbiekben használni. Jelenleg többek között technikai munkálatok zajlanak, hiszen gyors sebességű internetkábelt kell a helyszínre vezetni, valamint az áramellátás is nagy feladatot jelent majd, a megfelelő hangosítás biztosításával együtt. A befedett Hármashalom-oltár előtti térség új gyepszőnyeget kap a tereprendezés végeztével, valamint nagy mennyiségű virág is díszíteni fogja a mise helyszínét. A helyszínen megtörtént a szektorok kialakítása, melyeket térelválasztó kerítésekkel különítettek el. A pápai szentmise alkalmából elmozdítják helyéről a csíksomlyói kegytemplom féltve őrzött Mária-kegyszobrot. A szobrot az oltár szembenézet szerinti jobb oldalán fogják elhelyezni a külön erre a célra kialakított helyen. Ferenc pápa a csíksomlyói nyeregben bemutatott szentmise végén Arany rózsát nyújt át a kegyszobornak. A Kárpát-medencében jelenleg nem őriznek egyetlen pápai arany rózsát sem, bár a történelem folyamán nem egy magyar uralkodó részesült e kitüntetésben, többek között Nagy Lajos király, Luxemburgi Zsigmond császár, Ferenc József császár felesége, Erzsébet (Sissy).
Northrop Grumman won a $66.3 million modification in support of the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance – Demonstrator (BAMS-D) Program. The deal provides for operation and maintenance services and includes logistics and sustaining engineering support. The Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) UAV was intended to provide persistent, maritime surveillance and reconnaissance capability. The demonstrator program supported real-world operations under US Northern Command (NORTHCOM). By June 2012, the BAMS-D aircraft continued to support more than 50 percent of maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in theater and had flown more than 5,500 combat hours in support of combat operations since 2008. Raytheon will perform work under the current modification in Patuxent River, Maryland as well as Rancho Bernardo, California and other locations and is expected to complete its work in June 2020.
The Navy tapped Colonna’s Shipyard with $9.3 million in support of the USS San Francisco or SSN-711. The contract is for
demilitarization of the exterior hull, internal equipment, bulkheads, decking, piping, and other fixtures. Work will take place in Portsmouth, Virginia and is scheduled to be finished by September this year. The San Francisco is a Los Angeles Class nuclear submarine. On January 8, 2005, the submarine collided with an undersea mountain southeast of Guam. The ship’s forward ballast tanks and her sonar dome were severely damaged, but her inner hull was not breached and there was no damage to the nuclear reactor. Repairs were made. San Francisco returned to Point Loma from her sixth deployment in October 2016.
Embraer is close to the end of its KC-390 military certification tests, Jane’s reports. The company’s goal is for the aircraft to enter service with the Brazilian Air Force at the end of the year. The KC-390 is medium-size, twin-engine jet-powered military transport aircraft. Embraer received a $1.3 billion development order from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for its KC-390 medium-weight military transport jet in April 2009. The aircraft made its first flight in February 2015. KC-390 utilizes computed air release point technology integrated with fly-by-wire system to provide greater accuracy during air dropping, thereby reducing crew workload. The next step for the aircraft will be to complete continuous computed drop point (CCDP) certification, combat offload, and aerial refueling. Other tests will be for the KC-390’s self-protection system, both the chaff and flare and the direct infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) capability. However, it is possible that some tests may be pushed to 2020.
Middle East & AfricaThe Belorussian 558 ARP company completed the deliveries of all 12 refurbished and upgraded Sukhoi Su-30K heavyweight multirole fighters ordered by Angola. Angola’s fighters had been upgraded to Su-30SM standard, giving them the ability to fire anti-ship and air-to-air missiles. They are also fitted with jammers. The SU-30 is a twin-engine, two-seat super maneuverable fighter aircraft. The Su-20SM has improved avionics including glass cockpit and Bars-R radar, amongst others. It has canards and AL-31FP engines with thrust vector control for improved maneuvrability.
EuropeSikorsky responded to the German „Schwerer Transporthubschrauber“ STH Program’s call for competition. It is offering the CH-53K King Stallion. A formal request for proposals for the “Schwerer Transporthubschrauber” (STH) program is expected this summer to replace the older CH-53 the German Air Force currently flies. The CH-53K has flown more than 1,400 test hours and has met all the outer reaches of the test envelope, according to Sikorsky. The King Stallion’s test program so far has included high altitude, hot temperature, and degraded visual environment flights, maximum weight single-point cargo hook sling load of 36,000 pounds (16,329 kilograms), forward flight speed of over 200 knots, 60 degrees angle of bank turns, altitude of 18,500 feet mean sea level (MSL), 12-degree slope landings and takeoffs; external load auto-jettison; and gunfire testing. Boeing’s CH-47F is another expected competitor for the program.
Asia-PacificIndia’s investigation into the fatal crash of a Mirage 2000 fighter in February found that the incident was probably caused by an issue with the jet’s fly-by-wire flight control system. Reportedly, a glitch in the Mirage 2000’s flight computer that kicks in without warning, causes the aircraft to behave unpredictably. Apparently, Indian Air Force flight records examined by the Court of Inquiry show at least four such incidents in the past. In each incident the aircraft suddenly and without command from the pilot, jerked its nose towards the ground. Then, the nose would jerk upwards. Each time, the aircraft has continued these so called “pitch oscillations” for several seconds before resuming normal flight. Dassault supplies the flight computer. The company initially offered the explanation that the “pitch rate gyrometers”, which are sensors that tell the flight computer the aircraft’s attitude, were not securely fitted. However, the Mirage 2000s behaved perfectly for the rest of the flight when the incidents occurred. Dassault has yet to comment on the assumptions of a faulty flight computer.
The Australian Navy was tailed by the Chinese Military as it travelled towards Vietnam on the South Chinese Sea. The HMAS Canberra was ending a three-month-long tour of seven Asian nations involving three other Australian warships, aircraft and more than 1,200 defense personnel. The ships journeyed near islands controversially claimed by Beijing. Defense officials confirmed, that the ships had a “professional” and “friendly” interaction with the People’s Liberation Army during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019, an Australian Defense Forces regional engagement mission.
Today’s VideoWatch: IMDEX Asia 2019 – Iver Huitfeldt-class MRCV, VARD new LST & PMLV, Rafael C-Dome and Sea-Spotter
In an effort to offset the growing number of age-related combat aircraft retirements, India is engaged in a round of fighter fleet upgrades. In December 2006, India Defence reported that the Indian Air Force was “close to finalizing” a EUR 1.5 billion (about $2 billion) deal to upgrade its fleet of 51 49 Mirage-2000 ‘Vajra’ fighter jets.
The aim was to give the aircraft, inaugurated into IAF service in 1985-1988, another 20-25 years of service life. Of course, “close to finalizing” means something very different in Indian defense circles than it does elsewhere. It took 4 years before there was even a preliminary agreement, and 5 years later, the negotiated agreement appears to be higher than original reports. So, what is India getting for its money?
The upgrade will bring India’s Mirages to the full Mirage 2000v5 Mk 2 standard, including a new RDY-3 radar with greater air-air and air-ground capability, a new night vision compatible all-digital cockpit, and improved electronic warfare systems. These will be tied into a joint tactical information data link system (JTIDS, usually Link 16 compatible but not always), plus helmet-mounted sights for wide-angle heat-seeking missiles. As part of the upgrade, the aircraft will also be equipped with MBDA’s Mica family of medium range missiles.
MBDA was probably unamused by India Defence’s December 2006 description of its wares as “an advanced medium-range missile that is the French counterpart to the more capable American AMRAAM missile [link added]”. MICA would actually replace both the radar-guided Super 350 MRAAM and Magic-II short-range infrared missiles on Indian Mirages, offering better performance and range. While the MICA-RF does have mediocre range compared to the AIM-120C AMRAAM, or even the Russian R-77 used by the IAF’s SU-30MKIs, it’s unique in offering a MICA-IR heat-seeking IR version for a potent medium range ‘no warning’ targeting option. French pilots who used the MICA-IR over Libya report that its sensor alone is a useful input to their systems, and its passive seeker with lock-on after launch means that it can be fired from beyond visual range at enemy aircraft, without creating any warning from the opposing fighter’s radar warning receivers. India will join France, Egypt, Greece, Taiwan and the UAE as operators of the Mirage 2000/MICA combo.
Work on the upgrades will be performed by a French-Indian consortium including Dassault (aircraft manufacturer), Thales (weapons systems integrator), MBDA (missiles) and India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Contracts and Key Events 2019May 30/19: Faulty Flight Computer? India’s investigation into the fatal crash of a Mirage 2000 fighter in February found that the incident was probably caused by an issue with the jet’s fly-by-wire flight control system. Reportedly, a glitch in the Mirage 2000’s flight computer that kicks in without warning, causes the aircraft to behave unpredictably. Apparently, Indian Air Force flight records examined by the Court of Inquiry show at least four such incidents in the past. In each incident the aircraft suddenly and without command from the pilot, jerked its nose towards the ground. Then, the nose would jerk upwards. Each time, the aircraft has continued these so called “pitch oscillations” for several seconds before resuming normal flight. Dassault supplies the flight computer. The company initially offered the explanation that the “pitch rate gyrometers”, which are sensors that tell the flight computer the aircraft’s attitude, were not securely fitted. However, the Mirage 2000s behaved perfectly for the rest of the flight when the incidents occurred. Dassault has yet to comment on the assumptions of a faulty flight computer.
2016September 27/16: An upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter operated by the Indian Air Force has successfully test-fired the Mica air-to-air missile. The MBDA made missile system was recently acquired from France and follows a $2.4 billion deal to upgrade the IAF’s fleet of 51 Mirage fighters. Once completed all of the fighters will be of the Mirage 2000-5 Mark 2 variant, which boasts new radar systems, a new weapon suite, missiles, electronic warfare system and modern electronic warfare.
2014Aging fleet partly grounded.
September 2014: State of the fleet. AIN reports that a quarter of India’s Mirage 2000 fleet is grounded because a contract for spares has been stuck in the bureaucracy for years. This means some planes are scavenged for parts.
Meanwhile, the 2 aircraft upgraded in France are awaiting certification. Beyond that, the 7-year timeline to complete the upgrades seems optimistic in light of HAL’s habitual tardiness. At least their staff has reportedly already been trained in France. Source: AIN – Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 Upgrade Progresses Despite Groundings.
Feb 2014: designator pods. Rafael tells Air & Cosmos that the company won sometime in 2013 a tender from the IAF for 164 Litening 4 pods for its entire existing fleet of fighters/bombers. This doesn’t bode well for France’s PDL-NG, and Rafael says integration on Rafales is under discussion with Dassault.
2011 – 2013Crashes. MICA and Upgrade deals.
IAF Mirage 2000sOct 5/13: 1st flight. Dassault Aviation performed the first flight with an upgraded Mirage 2000 at the Istres air base in southern France near Marseilles. It is one of 2 aircraft that will be upgraded in France, while work on the remaining 47 will be performed by HAL in Bangalore.
Aug 5/13: Support. A a written reply to Shri Kalikesh N. Singh Deo in Lok Sabha sets out the cost of maintaining India’s Mirage fleet over the 2012-13 budget period. The total is INR 4.8685 billion (about $80 million): INR 2.28 billion for spares, INR 1.91 billion for aggregated repairs and maintenance, INR 611.6 million for “capital procurement,” and INR 66.9 million for “capital repair.”
It would be very useful to know how many flight-hours those figures reflect, but the questioner didn’t ask. Maybe next time. India MoD.
March 4/13: Upgrade Costs. Defence Minister AK Antony’s written response to a Parliamentary question snaps the upgrade’s costs into perspective:
“The last contracted price for each Mirage-2000 aircraft in the year 2000 was Rs 133 crore. The contract for upgrade was signed in 2011 wherein the cost of upgrading one aircraft was Rs 167 crore…. Applying an escalation of 3.5 per cent per annum as per the Pricing Policy Review Committee, to the contacted cost of the year 2000, it works out to be Rs 195 crore at 2011 levels. Thus, the upgrade has been undertaken at 85 per cent of the escalated cost of the aircraft.”
See: The Hindu.
April 27/12: India’s Mirage 2000s are resuming operational flights, as each aircraft is checked and cleared. India’s PTI.
Flights resume
April 10/12: Engine issues? Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne says that IAF Mirages are expected to resume flying operations by the end of this month. He also says that “some issues were detected in the engine of the crashed aircraft which was taken to France by original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Snecma for investigations.”
If this turns out to be true, the scope of the fleet’s upgrades may expand to include engine fixes. Negotiations would determine who pays for that, and how much. Times of India | Zee News.
March 5/12: Crash. Another IAF Mirage 2000 crashes. The type has now had just 6 crashes in IAF service since the 1980s, but these last 2 lead to a fleet grounding. Note that some reports place the crash number at 10, but most say 6.
Crash – Fleet grounded
Feb 24/12: Crash. An IAF Mirage 2000 crashes shortly after takeoff from Gwailor. It is flown by Air Officer Personnel (AOP) Air Marshal Anil Chopra, who is injured.
Crash
Jan 30/12: A subsequent Parliamentary reply confirms that the MICA missile deal with MBDA was signed on this day, for 493 missiles. India PIB.
Jan 4/11: the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security clears an proposed EUR 950 million (about Rs. 6,600 crore/ $1.23 billion) deal to equip its 51 upgraded Mirage 2000s with 490-500 MBDA MICA air-to-air missiles, replacing the fleet’s Matra Super 530D medium-range and Magic-II short-range missiles in one stroke. The actual contract signing is expected in about a month.
Under the eventual deal, MBDA will also have to meet the standard Indian requirements of 30% industrial offsets, and integration of the MICAs with the improved Mirages will reportedly be handled by Thales. New Kerala | PTI | Defense News.
MICA Missile deal
Dec 19/11: A Parliamentary answer by defense minister Antony sheds more light on the Mirage 2000 upgrade deal, and places it in context with others:
“Contracts have been signed with M/s Thales, France, along with M/s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for upgrade of the Mirage 2000 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, with M/s HAL for upgrade of the Jaguar aircraft and with M/s RAC-MiG Russia for upgrade of the MiG-29 aircraft. These contracts are under implementation.
The cost of the contract for upgrade of the Mirage 2000 with the M/s Thales, France is Euro 1470 million while the cost of the contract with HAL is 2020 crores [about EUR 291 million; total for both is $2.04 billion, as of Dec 19/11]. The upgrade of the aircraft is expected to be completed by mid 2021. The cost of upgrade of the MiG-29 aircraft is USD 964 million and it is expected to be completed by 2016. The cost for upgrade of the Jaguar aircraft is Rs.3113.02 crores [about $585 million as of Dec 19/11] and the aircraft are expected to be upgraded by December 2017.”
July 29/11: India signs the Mirage 2000 fleet upgrade contract with Dassault and Thales. Dassault | Thales Group.
Mirage 2000 upgrade contract
July 12/11: A source in the Indian Air force tells Agence France Presse that:
“The defence secretary has agreed to the proposal put forward by French defence majors Dassault and Thales and (European group) MBDA for the Mirage-2000 retrofit…”
The source states that India’s cabinet committee on security cleared the deal on July 13/11, and added that it’s the 9-year, $2.3-2.4 billion deal discussed earlier. Only the 1st 2 jets will be refitted in France, with the next 2 done by HAL in India under French supervision, and the rest done by HAL. India’s standard 30% industrial offset obligation will apply, but HAL’s workshare is a very substantial percentage.
Some media sources cite India’s rapidly declining fighter fleet numbers as the key impetus for the deal. Of course, that fleet is declining in part because India’s fighter programs are behind schedule, and its procurement programs suffer from extreme slowness and delays. While bureaucrats ponder, entropy and use eats at the existing fleet. Calcutta Telegraph | Economic Times of India | Hindustan Times | Machinist India | AFP via France 24 | Flight International.
June 19/11: IANS reports that top decision-makers in India are split over the Mirage 2000 upgrade proposal, citing its overall cost (note that the report’s math doesn’t add, but see below).
There’s also some grumbling about the short service life that would be left in some airframes after the upgrades are done, based on the promises in the 1982 contract and the quoted 9-year time frame for the work. The more relevant figure, however, is expected flight hours after the upgrade, which may include airframe refurbishment. The general expectation in published reports is about 20-25 years, or about 6,000 – 7,500 more flying hours, but this has not been explicitly broken down in reports we’ve seen.
May 19/11: We’ve heard this before. This time, it may even be true. The Times of India reports that the deal is negotiated, and remains true to the pattern of the first 4-6 upgrades in France, with the rest performed in India by installing delivered kits:
“Defence ministry sources on Wednesday said the long-awaited deal with France for the upgrade of 52 Mirage-2000 multi-role fighters in IAF’s combat fleet is “finally ready” at a cost of almost Rs 11,000 crore… “This is also now going to CCS for approval. Another big contract, which was being progressed simultaneously, for around 450 MICA (interception and aerial combat missiles) systems to arm the upgraded Mirages is also in the final stages now,” said a source… This means the overall Mirage upgrade package, including the fire-and-forget MICA missiles and the infrastructure build-up at HAL, will eventually cross the Rs 15,000-crore mark.”
That’s about $3.32 billion / EUR 2.33 billion. Or, to put it another way, almost $65 million/ EUR 45.6 million to upgrade and arm each of the IAF’s 51 jets. That price rises further if required new facilities at HAL are added as a project cost. For that kind of money, the IAF could replace its Mirage 2000s with 25-35 more M-MRCA planes (Typhoon or Eurofighter), or about 50 similarly capable new SU-30MKIs. Or, it could bulk up its fleet by replacing the Mirages on a better than 1:1 basis with locally-built HAL Tejas LCA fighters, whose capabilities fall somewhere between existing Mirage 2000s and the proposed upgrade.
Feb 10/11: Still no deal. PTI reports that the Indian Air Force hopes to sign the long-stuck deal by March 2011. Air Chief Marshal P V Naik said that differences over price and legal issues had blocked progress, but “negotiations have been concluded and report has been submitted to the Defence Ministry.” Now the question is whether the contract will be authorized. Deccan Herald.
2008 – 2010Maintenance contract deadlock resolved; No resolution for upgrade negotiations.
IAF Mirage 2000HDec 6/10: Agreement in principle? Media reports indicate that France and India have agreed on the basic structure of a EUR 2.1 to 2.2 billion upgrade deal, which reportedly includes EUR 700-900 million for MBDA’s Mica air-to-air missiles. That deal still has not been signed, however, and isn’t expected to be signed until March 2011. Time will tell.
The agreement was announced as part of French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s visit, which also included over $9 billion in nuclear power deals for 3rd-generation advanced European Pressurized Reactors (EPRs). India’s DDI government news | Bloomberg | India’s Business Standard | Economic Times of India | Press TV (video) | Sify | Times of India | Usine Nouvelle [in French] || Text of France-India partnership declaration.
March 1/10: Negotiations. Indian chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik tells the Times of India that a final deal on the Mirage 2000 upgrades:
“…should happen shortly… A French team will be coming again in early-March to finalise the details. The CNC (contract negotiation committee) should conclude in another two months. The Cabinet Committee on Security’s approval will then be sought.”
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed a visit to India later in 2010, which is usually a convenient time to sign deals like this. DID readers should be cautioned, however, that to India’s defense procurement bureaucracy, “soon” can just as easily mean “several years from now.”
Oct 16/09: Negotiations. India’s Business Standard reports that the Mirage 2000 upgrade deal may have fallen through. The beneficiary would be the MMRCA competition for 126+ medium fighters, but Dassault may have hurt its chances there, too:
“According to senior IAF sources, Dassault has refused to reduce its quota of Rs 10,000 crore ($2.1 billion) for extending the service life of the IAF’s Mirage-2000 fleet by fitting new radars and avionics. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) considers this price – Rs 196 crore ($41 million) per aircraft – unacceptably high… [and] is veering around to the view that the Mirage-2000 fleet should continue service in its current form. After six squadrons (126 aircraft) of MMRCAs have entered IAF service, an additional two squadrons [DID: about 40-44 planes] of MMRCAs would be built to replace the 51 Mirage-2000 fighters. That amounts to a 40 per cent rise in the MMRCA’s numbers [DID: more like 32-35%; even 48 planes would be only 38%].
Israeli aerospace companies have reportedly entered the fray, offering to upgrade the Mirage-2000 for half the price being quoted by Dassault. The MoD, however, is not inclined to accept that offer [due to bureaucratic rules that require the OEM to perform upgrades].
…The IAF, traditionally a staunch supporter of Dassault and the Mirage-2000 fighter, is apparently changing its views. Dassault, say pilots, has badly damaged its credibility during the recent negotiations by arm-twisting the IAF over the supply of spares for the Mirage-2000 fleet.”
July 14/09: Negotiations. As Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves for Paris, The Times of India reports that India resolved their differences over the initial asking price of Rs 14,000 crore (INR 140 billion, about EUR 2.5 billion 2 years ago), and are now all set to ink a Rs 10,000 crore (INR 100 billion, about EUR 1.795 billion/ $2.475 billion) deal to upgrade the IAF’s 55-60 Mirage 2000s. The structure reportedly involves 4-6 aircraft upgraded in France, with the rest upgraded in India by HAL.
“Under the upgrade, the entire airframe will be stripped down to be re-wired and re-equipped with new avionics, mission computers, glass cockpits, helmet-mounted displays, electronic warfare suites and of course weapon systems to extend and enhance the operational life of the multi-role fighters.”
Indian troops led France’s big Bastille Day parade in Paris, and the visit is also reported to include discussions regarding civil nuclear energy cooperation, coastal security monitoring equipment, French proposals for joint development of short-range anti-aircraft missiles, and ongoing competitions involving French A330 aerial tankers and Rafale fighter jets. See also follow-on reports, many of which place the Mirage deal at Rs 9,500 crore: Calcutta Telegraph | Economic Times of India | The Hindu | Sify
Feb 8/09: Negotiations. IANS quotes Thales’ head of solutions for governments sector, Pierre-Yves Chaltiel:
“Pointing out that the technical and programme issues relating to the Mirage-2000 upgrade ‘have been discussed and agreed (to)’, Chaltiel said: ‘We have put everything in place with all our Indian industrial partners, through the transfer of knowledge and technology, for the Indian industry to be in full capacity during the execution phases of the programme.’ “
What’s still missing, are a decision and and contract.
Nov 7/08: Negotiations. IANS reports progress toward a deal. Thales has reportedly offered to deliver the first 2 aircraft from its facilities in France within 40 months of signing, while it helped HAL upgrade 2 more aircraft in India to gain familiarity. Thereafter, HAL would upgrade one aircraft every month, for 47 months. IANS:
“…the IAF is known to have been considering the upgrade for at least two years but floated a request for proposal (RFP) only in April, to which Thales replied in July. Price negotiations are set to begin later this month.”
Pierre-Yves Chaltiel, senior vice president for Thales aerospace government programs, is quoted in another report as saying that “The project is part of a broader strategic partnership between France and India to be implemented under a government-to-government agreement.” Even so, the IANS report adds that another 2-year delay is quite possible:
“…another Thales official pointed out that a decision on the upgrade would have to be taken by the end of this year so that the project could begin early 2009, ahead of the parliamentary polls that are due by May but could be advanced to February.
“Our experience, not only with India but with other countries also, has been that if an election comes in the way, a decision on a project like this can be delayed by at least two years,” the official told IANS on condition of anonymity.”
See: IANS, via Times of India’s Economic Times | Rediff | India Defence.
Aug 5/08: In 1982, Dassault and the IAF signed a maintenance contract for India’s Mirage 2000 aircraft. That agreement was due for renewal 25 years later, in 2007. Now, India Defence reports that a new agreement has been reached, after a 6-month negotiating stalemate that was moving toward court action:
“Ministry sources said a six-month stalemate between the two sides was finally broken when the Indian side acceded to the French company’s demands pertaining to charges on liquidated damages. Half of the Air Force’s 46 Mirage 2000-H aircraft faced grounding had the stalemate persisted, a service official said. Dassault had insisted on renewing the maintenance contract only if liquidated charges are calculated at the rate of 0.5 percent of the total contract on a monthly basis. The Defence Ministry wanted the 0.5 percent to be calculated per week.”
Dassault reportedly got its way on this issue after threatening to take the matter to the courts, which would have created very long delays to repairs and probably would have grounded the fleet.
Maintenance contract deadlock broken
In May of 2006 the Royal Australian Navy announced its decision to expand its naval expeditionary capabilities. HMAS Manoora and Kanimbla would be replaced with substantially larger and more capable modern designs, featuring strong air support. Navantia and Tenix offered a 27,000t Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) design that resembled the Strategic Projection Ship (Buque de Proyeccion Estrategica) under construction for the Spanish Navy. The DCNS-Thales Australia team, meanwhile, proposed a variation of the 21,300t Mistral Class that is serving successfully with the French Navy.
Navantia’s larger design eventually won, giving the Spanish firm an A$ 11 billion clean sweep of Australia’s “Air Warfare Destroyer” and LHD programs. These 5 ships will be the core of Australia’s future surface navy. The future HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide will be able to serve as amphibious landing ships, helicopter carriers, floating HQs and medical facilities for humanitarian assistance, and launching pads for UAVs or even short/vertical takeoff fighters.
This is what Australia wanted from their 2 LHDs:
Reality set in for some of these specifications, but the ship ended up fulfilling most of these needs. On the other hand, it fails to deliver in at least one key area.
Winner: The Navantia-Tenix LHD Canberra LHDs & UAVThe Tenix (BAE)-Navantia team won with a variation of their Strategic Projection Ship (Buque de Proyeccion Estrategica) under development for the Spanish Navy. In Spain, it’s known as the Juan Carlos I aircraft carrier, and flies AV-8B fighter jets as well as helicopters.
Australia’s doesn’t plan to use their ship that way, but they’re an F-35A customer, and could choose to buy F-35B STOVL fighters at some future date. They’re more likely to use their LHDs as a UAV platform, in order to extend surveillance reach, but 2014 revelations made it clear that Australia is thinking about fighters as well. Statistics for the Australian ships follow:
By comparison to the above statistics, the retired Kanimbla Class LPAs carried 450 troops, and could accommodate just 4 helicopters. HMAS Tobruk, which will retire when HMAS Canberra enters service, is even smaller than that. Neither could launch medium-size UAVs, let alone fighter jets.
Canberra’s Design Gap Size comparisonsThere is one major gap: weaponry. Despite their size, capacity, and importance to the RAN, Australia’s Canberra Class ships will have minimal defensive armament and systems.
Tenix (now part of BAE Systems) managed the RAN’s ANZAC Class frigate program, and their Canberra Class LHDs will share the same Saab 9LV combat system. The Canberra Class will also share the ANZAC Class’ VAMPIR NG infrared track and scan sensors, which allow short range detection of fast attack boats, UAVs, and incoming missiles under all weather conditions.
On the other hand, the ships’ Sea Giraffe AMB radars will be slated for aviation control, not missile or naval targeting. This situation could be improved in future by adding basic defensive systems, and future improvements could mount CEAFAR/CEAMOUNT phased array radars. Australia’s ANZAC frigates are already receiving these advanced radars as part of their anti-air upgrades, and integrating them with the same common combat system.
Typhoon 25mm RWSAs the above statistics show, however, the Canberra Class will be nearly defenseless.
The lack of anti-air missiles, or even last-ditch CIWS defensive systems, is an unusual decision for such a large and important ship. Even France’s lightly-armed 21,300t Mistral Class LHDs carry a pair of Simbad launchers with short-range Mistral surface-air missiles, along with 30mm cannons for asymmetric warfare defense. South Korea’s 18,900t Dokdo Class LHDs sports a 2-layer defense of 30mm Golakeeper CIWS cannons, and RIM-116 RAM short-range missiles. Italy’s 27,000t Cavour Class extends its defensive reach with advanced medium-range Aster 15 missiles and Oto Melara 76mm cannons, while the much larger 45,000t US LHD-1 Wasp Class pack a mix of Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, RAM missiles, and Phalanx CIWS cannons for 3-layered anti-air coverage.
Australia’s Department of Defence told DID that the Canberra’s concept of operations involved relying on protection from Hobart Class air defense destroyers and upgraded ANZAC Class ships, along with aerial coverage from E-737 Wedgetail AWACS etc. Other overwatch and protection will have to come from Australia’s future P-8A Poseidon sea/land surveillance aircraft, and long-range MQ-4C Triton UAVs.
Program & Construction Plans Initial scheduleThe Canberra Class were initially expected to replace Australia’s existing ships in 2012 (HMAS Canberra) and 2014 (HMAS Adelaide). Those dates have since slipped to November 2014 (HMAS Canberra) and November 2016 (HMAS Adelaide), but so far, the program has avoided Australia’s infamous “Projects of Concern” list.
“Joint Project 2048” did receive a nasty price hike very early in the process, however, from A$ 2 billion to about A$ 3 billion. Oddly enough, that’s an example of good news.
The main thrust of Australia’s Kinnaird Report post-mortem, undertaken after the Collins Class submarine program’s massive cost overruns, was the need to do more up-front work, in order to improve cost and delivery estimates on defense projects. As a result, approximately A$ 23 million was spent over 3 years on Canberra Class design studies.
The outcome was a mixed blessing. By the time 1st Pass Approval came, the Government was told at 1st Pass Approval that the Project was likely to cost at least A$ 600 – $900 million more than the allocated budget over the life of the program. Inflation was part of the story. When the Australian government moved to calculate the final program cost, they looked at the entire program from 2007-2015, when HMAS Adelaide is scheduled for delivery. Within that period, forecasts were made regarding inflation and materials costs in several locales: Spanish labor rates indices and costs, the 20% of the project in US dollars for L-3’s components, and Australian indices for the 23% “Australianization” work. Putting them together yielded a sort of “basket” of inflationary indices for the project as a whole. On top of that, Australian planners also added project management costs, project contingency funds for required infrastructure improvements to ports and berthings, etc.
The result was something of a price shock, as the program cost rose to A$ 3 billion, instead of the original budget figure of $2 billion. A 50% total cost increase is never palatable news. On the other hand, there is much to be said for this approach. Knowing the full price in budgeted dollars before a contract is awarded, and planning accordingly, certainly beats the intense project gyrations and political fallout that would follow if the government had “discovered” the issues after construction was underway, amidst political controversy over the cost “increases.”
So far, the realistic revised estimate has held up well.
Project 2048: ManagementOverall management of the contractors belongs to lead contractor Tenix (now BAE), who is partnered with Navantia for the core ship, Saab Systems for the combat system, and American firm L-3 for communications, internal LAN, etc. All of these decisions were made in conjunction with the Australian DoD, who were presented with options at each stage and made their decisions.
The 3D model of the ship structure, construction plans, and all naval architecture calculations were carried out using the FORAN System, developed by Spain’s SENER.
The ships’ hulls from keel to flight deck were built in Navantia’s modern naval shipyard in Ferrol, Spain, and have now been shipped to Australia. Navantia is also building the LCM-1E landing craft that will accompany Australia’s amphibious ships.
Spanish LCM-1EsAfter the ships’ hulls were built, they were brought to BAE Australia’s Williamstown shipyard in Melbourne by heavy lift ship, where the locally built superstructure (the part that rises above the flight deck) will be joined to the hull. This phase has an estimated value of up to A$ 500 million.
The majority of combat system design and integration work will take place in Adelaide, at a cost of up to A$ 100 million. There will also be further work contracted to other states, and total Australian content is expected to be about 23%, or A$ 700 million.
After construction is done, Australian industry will also be providing full in-service support for the life of the ships, creating a reduced but reliable source of demand for Australian industry. Over the ships’ expected lifetimes of 30 years or more, the figures involved will probably amount to several times the value of the construction program.
A Surprise Companion RFA Largs BayLong before the new Canberra Class could arrive, however, HMAS Manoora and HMAS Kanimbla had to be retired early due to mechanical issues. With HMAS Tobruk laid up for heavy refits, Australia was left without a serving amphibious ship when Cyclone Yasi hit, in February 2011.
Bad timing, that. Thereafter, good timing came to the Royal Australian Navy’s rescue. By August 2011, Australia was busy preparing the Bay Class LPD HMAS Choules for service, after drastic British budget cuts forced the Royal Navy to sell RFA Largs Bay very early in its planned service life. HMAS Choules will be joined by a refurbished HMAS Tobruk, and by the ADV Ocean Shield cargo & support vessel, until HMAS Canberra arrives.
Once Canberra does arrive, Tobruk will be retired, and Ocean Shield will transfer to Australia’s Customs and Border Patrol, alongside her sister ship ACV Ocean Protector. Australia’s emergency LPD purchase will remain, however, offering the Royal Australian Navy an unexpected 3rd amphibious ship for long-term service in the fleet.
Read “Amphibious Ships For Sale, Sold: Australia’s Interim Buys” for full coverage.
Contracts and Key Events 2019May 30/19: Tailed by China The Australian Navy was tailed by the Chinese Military as it travelled towards Vietnam on the South Chinese Sea. The HMAS Canberra was ending a three-month-long tour of seven Asian nations involving three other Australian warships, aircraft and more than 1,200 defense personnel. The ships journeyed near islands controversially claimed by Beijing. Defense officials confirmed, that the ships had a “professional” and “friendly” interaction with the People’s Liberation Army during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019, an Australian Defense Forces regional engagement mission.
20152nd ship in class.
May 22/17: Vice Adm. Tim Barrett, the head of the Royal Australian Navy, has admitted that there might be a design problem on the Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD). The two vessels, who will now miss out on the Talisman Sabre exercise in the US next month, are suffering from oil leaks found in their propulsion systems, while one, the HMAS Adelaide, had metal particles detected in the vessel’s lubricants and is now dry docked. Built by Spanish firm Navantia using a propulsion system made by German firm Siemens, while British firm BAE Systems has integrated the ship’s systems, each vessel comes at a cost of approximately $1.11 billion USD.
September 11/15: The Royal Australian Navy’s second Canberra-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), the Adelaide, has completed sea trials off the country’s south east coast. The trials began in August and are the final series of tests ahead of an anticipated entry into service in 2016. The first ship in class, the Canberra, was commissioned last November, with the two ships jointly constructed by BAE Systems and Navantia following a $2.8 billion contract awarded in October 2007.
August 20/15: The future HMAS Adelaide, the Royal Australian Navy’s second Canberra-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) vessel, has begun final sea trials ahead of an anticipated commissioning into service next year. The ten days of trials will take place just south of Sydney, with the RAN’s first LHD, the HMAS Canberra, commissioned in November last year. The second LHD was launched in July 2012. The joint construction of the two vessels by Navantia and BAE Systems follows a $2.8 billion contract announced in October 2007.
20141st ship in class.
Canberra trialsNov 28/14: LHD01 commissioned + deck handling. As (re)scheduled, HMAS Canberra is formally commissioned in Sydney by the Royal Australian Navy, as the largest ship in its history. The certification process begins with deck handling trials, using an MRH-90 from 808 Squadron and an S-70B-2 Seahawk from 816 Squadron.
HD01
Nov 17/14: F-35Bs? The Australian Strategic Policy Institute issues a paper that looks at the viability of F-35Bs on Australia’s 2 Canberra Class LHDs, which are based on a Spanish design that expected to carry the fighters at some point. Australia is looking at this possibility, as part of its 2015 White Paper.
“Overall, this report concludes that the benefits would be marginal at best, wouldn’t be commensurate with the costs and other consequences for the ADF, and would potentially divert funding and attention from more valuable force structure enhancements.”
Their rationale is that operating the Canberra Class in escort carrier mode would be vast overkill for most missions, which are better served by the planned combination of EC665 Tiger ARH and NH90 helicopters. On the flip side, “…if the adversary were such as to merit strike operations against targets distant from Australia using the STOVL option, it would be quite capable of posing significant risk to the maritime strike force being used to project power in this way.” Removing much of the ship’s amphibious capability in exchange for 10-14 F-35Bs isn’t seen as enough airpower to both protect the ship, and offer useful offensive help.
Their estimated cost to try begins with about A$ 500 million in ship modifications to add deck coatings, beefed-up air traffic control, requisite weapon storage & maintenance facilities, etc. Helicopters would have to be added to the MH-60R anti-submarine force, alongside new airborne early warning helicopters for the LHD. Only then could one reasonably pay about A$ 5 billion to buy 2 squadrons of more expensive F-35B fighters, which have shorter range and more limited weapon carriage than F-35As. Finally, the semi-permanent nature of the modifications would force Australia to either depend on just 2 amphibious ships (uncoverted Canberra Class + HMAS Choules), or buy a 3rd ship. RAN non-availability during disaster season has been a recent sore point, which is why they bought Choules from Britain in the first place.
The best use we can envision for the F-35Bs would be as long-duration, no-refueling protection for the RAAF’s on-station KC-30B aerial refueling aircraft during long-range strikes. That probably isn’t enough of a draw, unless Australia also forsees hostile air bases being built on South Pacific island chains of interest within its sphere. If Australia wants to supplement helicopters on its LHDs, marinized MALE UAVs like the MQ-9 Reaper may offer a more useful set of capabilities, providing a new dimension of both general surveillance and support ashore. Sources: ASPI, “Jump jets for the ADF?” (incl. PDF link) | ASPI’s The Strategist blog, “‘Jump jets’ for Australia?”
Oct 9/14: LHD01 accepted. Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has formally accepted NUSHIP Canberra from contractor BAE Systems, at a ceremony in Canberra’s hangar. This will make DMO the ship’s custodian at BAE Systems’ dockyard in Williamstown, until the ship sails to Sydney for the formal handover to the Royal Australian Navy in late November. Sources: RAN, “First Landing Helicopter Dock accepted by Defence Materiel Organisation”.
July 15/14: Defects. If recent reports are to be believed, Canberra’s 6-7 month construction delay isn’t the result of “go-slow” industrial action (q.v. May 15/14), so much as low productivity at Williamstown shipyard, poor skill levels, and a shortage of trained supervisors. In other words, the normal consequences of preferring a less competent local industry to the original manufacturer’s workforce.
Recent reports use the figure of 14,000 defects, but it’s worth remembering that only a percentage of the variances found are serious enough to need fixing. One unnamed defense official is quoted as saying that “Electrical and systems work planned for and conducted in Australia have been the main cause for the delay,” which fits reports of problems on the 1st shakedown cruise (q.v. June 4/14). So do unaligned propulsion pods; leaking seals and corrosion in propellers have also been cited. Sources: The Australian, “New warship’s 14,000 defects” (subscription) | China’s Xinhua via Shanghai Post, “New Australian warship has 14,000 defects: media”.
June 27/14: Support. The Australian government takes pains to portray subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root Pty Ltd (KBR) as “an Australian company” when they award an A$ 52 million contract to be the LHDs’ Capability Support Coordinator (CSC) over the next 5 years. The CSC role is a mix of fixed and tasked services to keep the ships in good repair and ready for missions, but it’s more of a coordination role than hands-on work. Sources: Australian DoD, “Australian company wins LHD sustainment contract”.
June 18/14: Infrastructure. The Australian government uses an exemption under the Commonwealth Procurement Rules to give Pacific Services Group Holdings Pty Ltd an A$ 6 million sole-source contract to refurbish LCM-1E related infrastructure and buildings at HMAS Waterhen in Sydney.
The exemption allows sole-source contracts without a full tender process to small/medium enterprises, if they’re at least 50% owned by people certified to have Australian aboriginal ethnicity. There’s a vague condition that the contract “must represent value for money.” Sources: Australian DoD, “Minister for Defence and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister – Indigenous enterprise awarded contract in milestone decision”.
June 4/14: Shook, down. LHD01 Canberra’s 1st shakedown cruise, crewed by Teekay Shipping Corporation, reportedly displayed rather more shaking and more down than planned. First the electric-powered stern pods (azimuth thrusters) were operated independently in low-speed mode instead of in tandem, when the ship was traveling above 8 knots. The result? The same result you’d get in a car with very misaligned tires: a whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on. There are conflicting reports re: whether any paint was cracked off the hull.
The down part reportedly happened when the crew forgot to disconnect the emergency power after a temporary power issue. When main power went back on, it blew the circuit breakers, cutting steerage and forcing the ship to drop anchor for 4 hours.
Teekay denies that the electrical system melted down, or that there was any damage to the vessel. Of course the electrical system didn’t melt down, that’s what circuit breakers do. And even stripped paint isn’t really damage. It still sounds like a poor show all around. Sources: News Corp. Australia, “A brand new 27,000 tonne Australian Navy ship was damaged during maiden sea trials” | UK’s Daily Mail, “Brand new $1.5 billion pride of Australia’s fleet crippled after electrical meltdown during sea trials”.
May 17/14: Defence Minister David Johnston tells The Weekend West that Australia is still considering the F-35B STOVL naval stealth fighter:
“Now that aircraft is more expensive, does not have the range but it’s an option that has been considered from day one…. The deck strength is there [on the Canberra Class LHDs] for such an aircraft,” he said.”
That’s more open than Australian governments have previously been on this subject, and his assertion is true. Spain’s similar Juan Carlos I ship is likely to operate F-35Bs as substitutes for the Armada’s AV-8B Harrier II jump jets, if the country’s economy and military spending levels allow them to continue to operate fixed-wing naval aviation. Adding even 6 F-35Bs to a Canberra Class LHD wing would make a big difference to its power projection options, at a significant cost to helicopter support capabilities.
The question is whether this is far-future speculation, or something that could happen within the time frame of Australia’s impending 58-plane F-35 deal. At this point, nobody knows. It will depend on the terms negotiated for the contract, and whether the deal includes cost adjustment provisions for other F-35 variants and their associated equipment within Australia’s annual orders. It’s worth remembering that choosing F-35Bs comes with added requirements for new spare parts sets and training, new simulators, etc.
The alternative is that this is blue-sky speculation revolving around Australia’s possible 18-plane F-35 order beyond 2030. In which case, it would mean almost nothing right now. Sources: The West Australian, “Jump jets on Defence radar”.
May 15/14: Industrial. News Corp. Australia quotes “a government source” who says that LHD01 Canberra’s delivery will be another 6 months late, due to “go slow” workplace action at the Williamstown dockyard in Melbourne.
BAE Systems, which is facing late delivery penalties over A$ 10 million, has denied that there was a formal go slow. On the other hand, unions are warning of massive layoffs that could affect around 3,800 workers, thanks to the “valley of death” between major shipbuilding projects. That certainly creates plenty of motivation for informal slowdowns, in an environment where skilled trades are reportedly taking jobs elsewhere.
A June decision could add 2 replenishment ships to Australia’s build queue, but the big decisions re: larger programs will depend on the new government’s 2015 Government Defence White Paper and Capability Plan. Sources: News Corp., “Delays extend delivery of HMAS Canberra by six months”.
March 8/14: LCMs. Australia’s first 4 LCM-1E landing craft depart Navantia’s Puerto Real shipyard, aboard M/V Dijksgracht. They should arrive in Australia around mid-April 2014, and Navantia will eventually delivery a total of 12. Sources: Navantia, “Navantia delivers first four landing crafts to Australia”.
Adelaide arrivesFeb 7/14: LHD02 arrives. The heavy-lift ship MV Blue Marlin is back in Australia with another LHD hull, on schedule this time, after a 10,000 nmi journey that took 8 weeks.
LHD02 Adelaide arrives in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, and will be taken to the Patrick Webb Dock for removal of the sea fastenings and unloading. A tugboat with take her to the Williamstown dockyard in the suburbs for superstructure and fit-out work, and the hull is expected to be there within a week.
Things will be busy in Williamstown. LHD01 Canberra arrived back on Oct 17/12, and sea trials will begin within a few weeks. Sources: Australia DoD, “Landing Helicopter Dock Ship arrives in Melbourne” | Australia Defence, “Second LHD dock arrives in Australia”.
2011 – 2013Both LHDs launched; LCM-1E landing craft companion buy approved; ESM systems; Infrastructure build-out; ANAO Report.
Adelaide, meet Blue MarlinDec 17/13: ANAO Report. Australia’s National Audit Office releases their 2012-13 Major Projects Report. For the Canberra Class, they don’t see any major risks, and DMO believe they can complete the project within budget. The total program budget as of June 2013 is A$ 3,073.5 million, of which A$ 2.39 billion (about 77.8%) has been spent. The program is about 62-65% complete, and has A$ 682.9 million left.
Some of that is going to spent hiring contractor help for the program office, because the LHD Project Organisation doesn’t have enough “appropriately qualified personnel.” They’re also pushing BAE Australia to try and recover the 66 days created by the late arrival of LHD 01’s hull at BAE. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) is now expected 6 months earlier than originally planned, in December 2014. We shall see. Final Operational Capability (FOC) remains unchanged at November 2016. The one thing ANAO does mention is that:
“While the LHD ships are based on the existing Spanish LHD design, the Australian combat and communication capability requires design and integration work…. The task of integration of the Australian elements, such as the combat system and internal/external communications systems, has proved to be more complex than initially thought. Additional time has been required to address integration issues and has resulted in some minor movement of combat and communication system integration milestones. This has not impacted the major milestone of ship delivery.”
July 11/13: Infrastructure. The Australian government announces that Baulderstone Pty Ltd. will be appointed to manage an A$ 170.2 million project to build new and refurbished LHD and Air Warfare Destroyer berthing and support facilities in Sydney. The firm has a long history managing large construction projects, including the iconic Sydney Opera House.
The award is split, with A$ 60.3 million allocated to the Canberra Class LHDs and $109.9 million for the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers. Baulderstone will manage the build-out of berthing infrastructure, permanent maintenance, and systems support facilities for the new ships at Garden Island, and nearby training facilities at Randwick Barracks and HMAS Watson. Construction is expected to begin in late July 2013, with completion scheduled for late 2015. Australia DoD.
March 28/13: ESM. ITT Exelis announces a $102 million contract to provide their ES-3701 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) suite for Australia’s 6 upgraded ANZAC frigates and 2 Canberra class LHD ships. Work will be performed by the Exelis Electronic Systems, radar, reconnaissance and undersea systems business area in Morgan Hill, CA.
ESM systems track enemy radio frequency emissions, such as an anti-ship missile with its radar on, back to their source. ITT’s ES-3701 has also been picked for Australia’s forthcoming Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers, so the new award will give a common ESW suite aboard their future fleet of combat ships.
Dec 3/12: A ministerial visit to BAE’s Williamstown, Melbourne facility sparks a brief update. Canberra’s hull has arrived, and the 300 tonne Block 811 has recently been lifted onto the hull for consolidation. This year alone, BAE has completed more than 750,000 hours of work, and plans to have one million hours of work completed by the end of this year. By which point, the remaining superstructure blocks are expected to be consolidated on the hull. The Minister for Defence adds that:
“The fact that we’ve got some Marines in Darwin, 250 this year and next year, moving to over the next five or six years, 2500, will also ensure greater interoperability with the United States Marine Forces on ship to shore missions and exercises. They are the world’s experts so far as ship to shore capability is concerned, so we will value very much the input and the training that we do with them.”
See: Australia DoD | Minister’s Doorstop Interview transcript.
Oct 17/12: LHD01 arrives. MV Blue Marlin arrives in Australia with Canberra. Australian DoD | Navantia | SENER Naval.
Aug 4/12: LHD01 shipped. Canberra is loaded onto the float-on/ float-off (Flo-Flo) heavy lift ship MV Blue Marlin, for transport to Australia and final fitting out. See also Aug 25/08 entry, for the transport contract. Navantia [in Spanish].
Building AdelaideJuly 3/12: LHD02 launch. Adelaide is launched at Navatia’s shipyard in Ferrol, Spain. RAN | Navantia | YouTube video.
LHD02 launch
Dec 13/11: Australia’s Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare provides an update on Project 2048.
LHD01 Canberra is on track with its revised schedule. All 105 hull blocks have been built, and the hull is now complete (vid. Feb 18/11 entry). She is currently undergoing final fit out, and the installation of her hospital, storeroom, and crew berths. Canberra will leave Spain in July 2012 aboard a heavy lift ship, to arrive in Melbourne in August 2012. June 2011 saw work begin at the Williamstown Shipyard in Australia on the 4 superstructure and 3 mast blocks, and the superstructure and hull are expected to be consolidated in Melbourne in late 2012.
LHD02 Adelaide is ahead of the revised schedule. The keel was laid in February 2011, and so far 60 of the 105 blocks have been erected on the slipway. Of the remaining blocks, 27 are currently in construction and final fit-out, and 18 are in final paint and fit-out prior to moving to the slipway. The hull is expected to be launched in Spain in Q3 2012.
Spanish LCM-1EsSept 27/11: Landing Craft. The Australian government gives 2nd pass approval to Joint Project 2048, Phase 3, which will buy 12 of Navantia’s 110t LCM-1E landing craft to equip the Canberra Class. Under this approval, the total cost is capped between A$300 – $500 million; the exact price will be resolved as a contract is negotiated. Subsequent releases confirm that a contract was signed in Dec 16/11, but don’t discuss the amount.
Australian forces currently rely on a heavily modified version of the American LCM-8 for this role, which may continue service aboard HMAS Choules (formerly RFA Largs Bay).
Delivery of the first batch of 4 LCM-1Es will be coordinated with the delivery of HMAS Canberra, expected in 2014. Maintenance and support for the LCMs will be provided by Australian industry. Australia DoD | Navantia, “Navantia signs two contracts in Australia”. See also May 8/09 entry.
12 LCM-1Es
Canberra launchedFeb 18/11: LHD01 Launch. Canberra’s hull is launched at Navantia’s Ferrol shipyard, in northern Spain. Canberra is still set to arrive in Victoria in 2012, where its superstructure will be completed and it will be fitted out, before a planned acceptance into service in 2014.
Her sister ship Adelaide is scheduled for launch in 2012. Australian DoD | Australia DoD photos.
LHD01 launch
2009 – 2010US bureaucratic interference; LHD02 cuts steel; IFF.
Canberras conceptFeb 2/10: LHD02. Navantia of Spain cuts the first steel for LHD 02 at its shipyard in Ferrol, Spain, 7 weeks ahead of schedule. Keel laying of LHD 01 Canberra took place place exactly one year to the day from first steel being cut, and the next milestone will be the launch of LHD 01 in Spain in March 2011. LHD 01 is expected to arrive at Williamstown dockyard in 2012, with LHD 02 arriving in 2014. Australia DoD.
Dec 3/09: Sub-contractors. EADS Defence Electronics announces a contract from BAE Systems to deliver a pair of MSSR 2000 I IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) systems for installation aboard The Canberra Class. Integration into the Combat Management System will be performed by Saab Group, who makes the 9LV combat system.
IFF systems are so-called secondary surveillance radars that collect precise data on the origin, course, speed etc. of individual aircraft by automatically sending interrogation signals which are answered by encrypted transponders on-board the incoming aircraft. The goal is reliable identification of incoming aircraft, in order to avoid targeting one’s own forces or allies. The MSSR 2000 I is operated by the naval forces of Germany, France, Norway and Finland; and as a land-based system in countries like Bulgaria and Slovakia. The system has received civil certification, and EADS DE also makes related identification systems used for civil air traffic control in Portugal and the Philippines.
July 20/09: BAE Systems Australia announces successful completion of the Canberra’s class’ Whole of Ship Preliminary Design Review phase. That review examined major subsystems including communications, navigation, combat systems, support systems and platform systems. Success allows the ship to proceed to the detailed design phase, which will create the production blueprints.
PDR
May 8/09: LCM-1E. Australia’s Labor Party government announces first pass approval to equip its Canberra Class LHDs with Navantia’s LCM-1E landing craft as Joint Project 2048, Phase 3. Australia’s DoD will now begin negotiations with Navantia, which will include the possibility of building the Landing Craft, Mechanized in Australia. A final decision on the LCM-1E was to be made by Government in 2010, but 2nd pass approval actually took until late September 2011.
March 6/09: India’s Business Times reports that an overzealous US State Department bureaucrat appears to have created a 3-4 month delay in the Project 17 program, after ordering GE to stop work on the LM2500 turbines it was supplying for India’s Krivak III Class frigates. The given reason? A 3-4 month internal State Department review of American relationships with other countries. The article reports that “GE has been told to stop work even with close US allies like the UK and Australia.” Whose Canberra Class also uses the LM2500.
Read “US State Dept. Throws A Wrench Into Exports, Allied Shipbuilding” for more updates, and a look at the timelines and implications.
2008BAE buys Tenix; LHD transport to Australia arranged; Engines; VAMPIR passive infrared surveillance.
Oct 28/08: SAFRAN Group’s Sagem Défense Securité Australasia announces a contract from BAE Systems Australia to supply its VAMPIR NG (Veille Air-Mer Panoramique Infrarouge Nouvelle Génération/ New Generation Infrared Panoramic Air-Sea Surveillance) infrared surveillance systems for the Canberra Class. The VAMPIR was selected following a general tender, but it entered with an advantage thanks to its 2005 selection as part of Australia’s ANZAC Class frigate upgrades.
VAMPIR NG offers a high-resolution panoramic image, that provides short range surveillance and warning of incoming UAVs, fast boats, or even missiles, without creating traceable radar emissions. It calls on state-of-the-art image processing technology, and deploys 3rd-generation gyrostabilized infrared sensors for maximum efficiency. VAMPIR NG is integrated with the ships’ Saab 9LV combat system, and an also be used as a helicopter landing aid, and to help control the movements of landing craft. Sagem DS release | VAMPIR NG data sheet [PDF].
Aug 25/08: Dockwise Ltd. of Hamilton, Bermuda announces that its subsidiary Dockwise Shipping has entered into contracts with the Spanish naval shipyard Navantia, to transport 2 Canberra-class amphibious helicopter carriers (LHD). The combined value of this contract, plus a contract to bring 2 Russian nuclear powered submarines from Kamchatka to the Russian naval shipyard Zvezda to be dismantled, is around $40 million.
The hull and outfitting of the Canberra Class vessels will largely be completed by the Spanish yard at Ferrol, but final construction, outfitting and commissioning will be performed by Australian contractors. The ships will be transported from Ferrol to Melbourne on the deck of the semi submersible (float-on, float-off, or FLO-FLO) Blue Marlin transport vessel in 2012, and again in 2014.
Aug 25/08: Sub-contractors. Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit announces an USD$8.4 million contract from Tenix Pty Limited of Melbourne, Australia (now part of BAE Australia), to supply integrated navigation systems for the Canberra Class. The contract also includes engineering and technical support for configuration, installation, commissioning, a land-based test site, and sea trials.
The navigation systems will include 2 Sperry Marine MK39 Mod 3A ring laser gyro navigator (RLGN) inertial navigation systems. They will be integrated with the ships’ radars, electronic charting system, autopilot, steering control, speed and depth sensors, GPS and DGPS positioning systems, automatic identification systems, voyage data recorder and other systems and sensors, using Sperry Marine’s NavDDS data distribution network.
Sperry Marine is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, and has major engineering and support offices in New Malden, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany. NGC release.
July 14/08: Sub-contractors. GE Marine announces the contract from Navantia for 2 LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines. Each Canberra Class LHD will rely on an LM2500 gas turbine, placed in a CODAG (COmbined Diesel Electric And Gas) configuration with diesel engines. GE will manufacture the LM2500 gas turbines at its Evendale, OH facility, and will deliver the gas turbine-generator sets in August 2009 and November 2010.
The LM2500 powers every major surface combatant class in the Royal Australian Navy: 12 have powered Australia’s FFG-7 Adelaide-class frigates, another 11 turbines and spares were delivered for the RAN’s ANZAC-class frigates, and the LM2500 family will be part of the propulsion system for Australia’s forthcoming Hobart Class air warfare frigates.
June 27/08: Tenix = BAE. BAE Systems completes its acquisition of Tenix Defence. BAE release.
Jan 31/08: BAE Systems formally buys Tenix Defence, and proposes to merge it into BAE Systems Australia. The GBP 347 million/ A$ 775 million purchase would include Tenix Defence Marine, Navantia’s partner for the Canberra Class. The Australian | Bloomberg | Reuters | UK’s Times UPI
Jan 18/08: Tenix takeover. BAE Systems Australia offers A$ 775 million in cash to the Tenix Corporation, in a takeover bid for Tenix Defence. The deal is accepted. Tenx Defence had proforma earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of A$56 million on sales of A$699 million in the year to the end of June 2007.
Other rumored bidders included L-3 Communications, The Carlyle Group, and Australian conglomerate Leighton Holdings, Ltd. BAE Page | Reuters | The Deal.com.
BAE buys Tenix
2007Navantia picked, contract signed; 9LV combat system.
HMAS Manoora LPANov 23/07: Sub-contractors. Saab Systems signs an A$105 million (USD $87 million) contract with Tenix Marine to design, develop, and integrate their 9LV combat management system and Sea Giraffe AMB radar into the Canberra Class. According to Saab’s release, special features of the system will include helicopter control, watercraft control, and close in self defense against military and asymmetric threats. The Sea Giraffe’s known features include counter-battery fire tracking. Saab release.
Oct 11/07: DID explains the differences between Australian figures, and Navantia’s contract figures, following a briefing with Australia’s DoD. The short answer: both figures are correct. Navantia’s figures are current-dollar costs for construction contracts, but that contract includes economic price adjustment clauses for inflation et. al. Australian government figures attempt to take inflation over the project’s lifetime into account, then add project management and contingent costs to arrive at a figure for actual dollars spent over the project’s lifetime. See “Canberra Contract Costs Clarified.”
These clarifications regarding cost and armament have been incorporated into the text above.
Oct 9/07: It’s official. Australian Prime Minister John Howard announces the signing of a contract with Tenix, worth about A$ 3.1 billion ($2.787 billion) over 8 years [PM release | Event photo gallery | Tenix release | Navantia English release | Navantia Spanish release]. HMAS Canberra will be delivered in 2013, and HMAS Adelaide in 2015. Prime Minister Howard said :
“These 27,000-tonne ships will greatly enhance Australia’s ability to deploy forces when necessary in our region or beyond, and to provide assistance in time of natural disaster. Using their integrated helicopters and watercraft, each vessel will be able to land approximately 1,000 personnel, along with their vehicles, the new Abrams tanks, artillery and supplies. They will also be equipped with medical facilities, including two operating theatres and a hospital ward, and will be capable across the full spectrum of maritime operations, including aid to the civil community in times of natural disaster at home or abroad.”
N.B. Navantia’s release sets the contract value at a divergent EUR 1.412 billion (A$ 2.22 billion), of which EUR 915 million (A$ 1.44 billion) would go to Navantia for production estimated at 9.35 million work-hours. that reflects the current-dollar costs of the construction contract without including inflation over 8 years, project management costs, and contingent costs like improving port infrastructure etc. See Oct 11/07 entry for more.
Australian LHD Contract
June 20/07: Winner! The Australian DoD announces that subject to successful contract negotiations, the preferred tenderer is Tenix, with intended delivery of the ships between 2012 – 2014. The cost, meanwhile, has grown by 50% to A$ 3 billion. Navantia’s design was larger and more capable, but unlike the French Mistral Class it did not have a previous build history. In addition to capability advantages, however, Navantia-Tenix has an additional ace card to play that DCNS-Thales Australia did not:
“So that we could ensure the best possible outcomes for Australian industry and the ADF, the Government decided to consider the Amphibious Ship and Air Warfare Destroyer proposals in concert. Our decisions today mean that for decades into the future Navy’s ships will be backed by world-class industry support from Australia’s naval engineering and electronics industries. They also mean that hundreds of smaller and medium enterprises can now look to the future with confidence.”
See full DoD release.
Tenix/ Navantia picked
Additional Readings Background: The Canberra Class