Royal Navy’s Wildcats fend off fast attack craft on Exercise Tamber Shield
Claire Sadler 2nd May 2024 at 9:27am The Royal Navy’s 815 Naval Air Squadron is honing its warfighting capabilities as it practises fending off fast attack craft in the Norwegian fjords near Bergen. Wildcat helicopters, P2000 patrol vessels and Norwegian ships are hunting for enemy vessels as part of British-led Joint Expeditionary Force Exercise Tamber Shield. The topography of the region, with its deep and narrow inlets, offers fast-attack craft the perfect hiding place.
Commanding Officer of 815 Naval Air Squadron, James Woods, told Forces News, “We’re essentially practising fighting against anything from small, fast attack craft, all the way through up to frigates and destroyers. “The west coast of Norway provides a really useful training ground for us from challenging geography, all the way through to a really capable host nation and partner that we’re training with and against to hone our skills.” Although just an exercise, these are important tactics being developed as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to increased security concerns in the High North, the territories of Nordic countries which include Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden. The role of 815 Naval Air Squadrons is to carry out warship detection, surveillance and intelligence gathering, so if Britain is called upon to help defend this coastline, they have experience of the topography. The Wildcats also tested out their new “lethal claws” – Martlet and Sea Venom missiles. Deputy Commander of the Norwegian Fleet, Captain Aspen Rasmussen, said: “Having time to exercise together brings us really forward, both nations.” He added: “The geography has changed a little bit here in Norway, with Finland and Sweden joining Nato, which makes it much more important to be able to receive allied support here in the West Coast. from JC's Royal New Zealand Navy and other Naval, Maritime or Military News https://ift.tt/cvw43I2 via IFTTT via Blogger https://ift.tt/VXvY40E May 03, 2024 at 01:29PM See all posts in full - click here https://jcsnavyandmilitarynews.blogspot.com/
USS Barry (DDG-52) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, commissioned in 1992. Barry is the fourth United States Navy ship named after the “Father of the American Navy”, Commodore John Barry (1745–1803).
Her homeport is Naval Station Everett, Washington. Several improvements over Arleigh Burke exist on this ship and all following Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, such as the ability to refuel a helicopter. Barry’s keel was laid down on 26 February 1990, at the Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched on 10 May 1991, and christened on 8 June 1991, by her sponsor Rose Cochran, wife of United States Senator Thad Cochran. Barry was commissioned into the U.S. Atlantic Fleet on 12 December 1992, and was placed under the command of Commander Gary Roughead. The commissioning ceremony took place at Naval Station Pascagoula in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Following ship’s commissioning, Barry underwent Post Delivery Test and Trials (PDT&T). During this period, Barry tested every major system on board. An Operational Propulsion Plant Examination (OPPE) was conducted, with Barry receiving an overall grade of Excellent. Combat Systems Ship Qualifications Trials (CSSQT) were also conducted that included 13 missile firings. Barry has received many awards, including the Battenberg Cup for the years 1994, 1996, and 1998—making Barry one of only three ships (as of 2008) to have won the prestigious award three times. She has also been awarded the Battle E award eight times, and received the Golden Anchor and Silver Anchor Awards for retention. More recently, in 2004 Barry received the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for being the most improved ship in the Atlantic Fleet. from JC's Royal New Zealand Navy and other Naval, Maritime or Military News https://ift.tt/T0NolE5 via IFTTT via Blogger https://ift.tt/7UwrQo3 May 02, 2024 at 03:54PM See all posts in full - click here https://jcsnavyandmilitarynews.blogspot.com/
The Fujian, China’s new cutting-edge aircraft carrier, sets sail for initial sea trials
1st May 2024 at 11:15am China’s newest aircraft carrier, which features a next-generation electromagnetic catapult, has set sail for her maiden sea trials. The Fujan, China’s third aircraft carrier, left Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard at around 8am local time. The sea trials will test the carrier’s propulsion and electrical systems, as well as assess the living conditions for the crew, according to an expert quoted in Chinese media.
Once commissioned by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the Fujian is expected to play a crucial role in the future development of China’s naval capabilities, according to Song Xiaojun, a Chinese expert on military affairs. The Fujian is the only vessel other than the US Navy’s Gerald R Ford-class carriers to feature a next-generation electromagnetic catapult. A catapult can launch an aircraft much faster than a ramp, allowing for a quicker launch. An electromagnetic catapult is less demanding on power and water than its steam catapult predecessor. However, according to Trevor Hollingsbee, a defence and security analyst, there are reliability issues when it comes to electromagnetic catapults. The Fujan was launched in June 2022 and has since completed her mooring trials. She is much larger and technologically more advanced than the Shandong, which was commissioned in 2019. China’s first aircraft carrier was the Soviet-built Liaoning, which China bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted domestically from JC's Royal New Zealand Navy and other Naval, Maritime or Military News https://ift.tt/w3QWPm0 via IFTTT via Blogger https://ift.tt/WD5ceo0 May 02, 2024 at 03:24PM See all posts in full - click here https://jcsnavyandmilitarynews.blogspot.com/
Navy Elects to Fix USS Boxer Rudder with Divers, Repair Could Take 2 Months
APRIL 30, 2024 8:05 PM – UPDATED: APRIL 30, 2024 8:40 PM Divers will attempt to repair the big deck amphibious warship USS Boxer (LHD-4) in the water while the ship is pierside at Naval Station San Diego, Calif., USNI News has learned. The effort will focus on repairs to the starboard rudder and the bearing that failed following Boxer’s departure for deployment on April 1, Navy officials told USNI News. “The issue is the ship’s starboard rudder and roller bearing system. A series of inspections and assessments determined a waterborne repair is the most efficient way to execute maintenance and repairs,” reads a statement from Naval Surface Force provided to USNI News. U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Stephen Koehler made the determination for Boxer to get fixed under water on Monday afternoon after reviewing recommendations from U.S, 3rd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Michael Boyle and Naval Surface Force commander Vice Adm. Brendan McLane, defense officials confirmed to USNI News. A defense official told USNI News the repairs could take one to two months to complete. In parallel, the Navy is investigating the root cause of the rudder failure to see if “materials, parts or a faulty installation” are to blame for the failure of the starboard rudder, reads the statement from the service. Boxer has been dogged with engineering issues since it completed an extensive modernization period in 2022. Navy officials have blamed contractor performance and quality assurance for a delay in a deployment that was supposed to start in January. Sailors assigned to Boxer’s engineering department were found to be negligent in two command investigations. For example, in 2023 during sea trails, Boxer’s main reduction gear, the complex gearing mechanism that links the output of the steam plant to the props, ran without lube oil for two hours. It’s unclear whether the previous issues are related to the current rudder issue. Before Monday’s decision, the Navy considered dry docking Boxer to repair the rudder, but the two dry docks in San Diego that are large enough to accommodate the 41,000-ton big deck amphib are occupied. The dry dock at BAE Systems’ San Diego repair yard is occupied by Littoral Combat Ship USS Oakland (LCS-24). General Dynamics NASSCO is hosting USS Chung Hoon (DDG-93), which is undergoing an availability to install the AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block 3 as part of the DDG Mod 2.0 program. The Navy also considered moving the ship north to Vigor’s ship repair yard in Portland, Ore., but the idea lacked appeal because the top ten feet of the ship’s mast would have to be removed to fit under a bridge over the Willamette River, sources familiar with the idea told USNI News. Now with a path forward, the Navy and Marine Corps intend to deploy Boxer following the repairs. Boxer is the flagship of the Amphibious Ready Group that includes USS Somerset (LPD-25) and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49). Somerset and Harpers Ferry, with elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked, are currently operating in the South China Sea. The two ships are part of the Balikatan 2024 exercise taking place with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Boxer was slated to be a key platform for the exercise during the at sea period. How the deployment will proceed is still an open question. Somerset deployed in January for a series of exercises and Harpers Ferry departed in early April. The emergent Boxer repair highlights troubles the Navy has had with maintaining the big deck fleet – the majority of which are powered by older steam boilers rather than modern diesel or maritime gas turbines. “We found our amphib ships – the big decks in particular with steam plants – are having larger growth work than most of our ships and its it’s a challenge because of availability of parts, artisans, etc., “ Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby told the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee on Tuesday. from JC's Royal New Zealand Navy and other Naval, Maritime or Military News https://ift.tt/IadX2Lu via IFTTT via Blogger https://ift.tt/m3oTZk2 May 02, 2024 at 03:09PM See all posts in full - click here https://jcsnavyandmilitarynews.blogspot.com/
HMNZS Aotearoa – First of Class: When bad weather is a good thing
It’s all about storm chasing when you want to find out the limits a helicopter can operate within, from a ship. 01 MAY, 2024Last month, maritime sustainment ship HMNZS Aotearoa passed its First of Class Flight Trials in partnership with No. 6 Squadron for the operation of a Seasprite SH2-G(I) maritime helicopter from its flight deck. The achievement means Aotearoa, the Royal New Zealand Navy’s newest ship since commissioning in 2020, is qualified to embark a Seasprite and use it for operations and exercises. Every class of ship capable of embarking and operating a helicopter needs to conduct trials to ascertain Ship Helicopter Operating Limits (SHOLs) – the safe limitations for a specific helicopter type flying to and from that particular class of ship. The trials experiment with wind direction, ship movement and weight parameters for launching and recovering that helicopter, by day and night. The ship’s company and the flight crews have to learn how the wind behaves in relation to the superstructure of the ship and its course and speed, which could alter wind direction and strength over the flight deck. There’s also the ship’s roll and pitch to take into account, depending on how the ship is pointing into the relative swell. Both the ship and Seasprite were fitted with precision instrumentation to correlate relative wind speed and direction with the helicopter’s performance. Readings of engine thrust, rotor torque, landing force and other parameters were taken into account. The more variable and challenging the weather, the more complete the data gathered will be. Cruising around the Hauraki Gulf isn’t going to be enough. Watch First Of Class Flight Trials for HMNZS Aotearoa | Royal New Zealand Navy video FIRST OF CLASS FLIGHT TRIALS FOR HMNZS AOTEAROA | ROYAL NEW ZEALAND NAVY “We were lucky with the weather,” says Aotearoa’s Ship Information Officer Ensign Emma Walker. “We didn’t have to search too hard for rough seas and high winds.” Training Flight Commander Lieutenant Commander Matt Snazell says the difficulty with the ship moving was working out where the waves were coming from. “Aotearoa is such a big ship it’s quite difficult to tell. You see the swell break over the bow of the ship, but then it takes few seconds for it to get to the flight deck at the very end. You’re really just having to sit and wait for the opportune moment.” “We did spend quite a lot of time going up and down with the ship and it looked quite hectic from the flight deck as it looked like we were moving all over the place,” he says. The training enabled the helicopter crews to find the “edge of the night flying capability” – and they found it. “We had a few issues with really strong winds and turbulance coming over, so we worked out there were certain areas we couldn’t use. We can’t have winds from a certain direction or at a certain strength. “Strong winds from a really tricky direction means it’s not safe to oprate the helicopter, so that’s where we drew the line,” LTCDR Snazell says. The crew used a combination of night vision goggles and flying unaided, using the lights from the ship. Commander Rob Welford, Commanding Officer Aotearoa, says the trials took nine days. “Finding the operating limits required the ship to seek out bad weather and this was achieved with the help of a meteorologist on board. A large swell was encountered near Cape Reinga, and strong winds off the East Cape. “The biggest waves were eight metres high, our largest roll was nine degrees and largest pitch was 5.7 degrees.” The trials required 28 hours of flying, 181 deck landings, plus 41 other trials such as transfer simulations and refuelling. “It’s also a very good test of the ship’s organisation and ability to coordinate flying operations in all variations of weather and sea states,” Commander Welford said. Related storiesfrom JC's Royal New Zealand Navy and other Naval, Maritime or Military News https://ift.tt/8FHVc5x via IFTTT via Blogger https://ift.tt/ePwb6Wh May 02, 2024 at 02:44PM See all posts in full - click here https://jcsnavyandmilitarynews.blogspot.com/ |
AuthorJohn Currin served 15 years in the Royal New Zealand Navy and has retained an interest in naval, marine, military and happenings around the world. Archives
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