Navy Commander-in-Chief congratulated submariners

On March 19, 2011 Russia celebrated 105th anniversary of Submarine Force. Solemn activities were conducted in Navy Main HQ and all fleets. 

Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky congratulated submariners on their occupational holiday. 

"Our country celebrates 105th anniversary of Russian Submarine Force this year. 

This is a great event in Russia. It is celebrated by tens of thousands people all across the post-Soviet republics who took part in creation, formation, and development of national submarine force; they are those who cherish heroic past of national submarine fleet, its present, and future. 

Russian Submarine Force started its path with attempts to discover sea abyss and have developed to the most advanced technologies embodied in 4th-generation nuclear submarines which have written numerous golden pages in the national navy's glorious battle annals. 

Modern submarine fleet is implementation of progressive shipbuilding concepts and revolutionary ideas in underwater vehicles development. It is a result of titanic work done by scientists and designers, engineers and shipbuilders. 

Hull of 5-gen sub to be unified for cruise and ballistic missiles

Fifth-generation submarine which development was mentioned in State Arms Program 2011-2020 will have the hull unified for both ballistic and cruise missiles, reported RIA Novosti referring to a top-ranking spokesman for the Navy. 

New arms procurement program provides creation of a 5-gen submarine, said deputy defense minister Vladimir Popovkin in February. Now Russian Navy operates only with 3rd-generation subs. Lead submarines of the 4th-generation projects – SSBN Yury Dolgoruky and SSGN Severodvinsk – are under pre-commission trials. 

"The concept of a new submarine implies the hull unified both for cruise and ballistic missiles, so it is developed by Rubin and Malakhit design bureaus which are specialized in strategic and attack submarines respectively", said the admiral. 

Russia celebrated 105th anniversary of submarine force on March 19. 

According to the interviewee, distinctive features of fifth-generation subs will be improved silence, automated control systems, safe nuclear reactor, and long-range weapons. "I mean not ballistic missiles but long-range cruise missiles and torpedoes", he said. 

Answering the question whether it was prematurely to develop 5-gen subs while the Navy has no 4-gen subs in inventory, the admiral said: "It has been always like that. As soon as designers finish work over one generation, they start developing another one. That is normal process, it cannot stand still".

Black Sea Fleet will have a submarine division in Crimea

Russia's Black Sea Fleet will obtain several new diesel electric submarines in the nearest years, said deputy chief of Navy Main HQ Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev in the interview to Echo Moskvyradio. 

"We're going to establish a submarine division at Black Sea Fleet; it will be capable to react adequately on potential threats. Same prospects are topical for Baltic Fleet", said the admiral. 

According to him, Russia's naval strategy provides that nuclear-powered submarines to be stationed only at Northern and Pacific fleets. 

Recall previous statement of BSF Commander Vice Admiral Vladimir Korolev saying the fleet is being reinforced with new arms in line with approved plans.

Missiles target Libyan air defences

BRITISH submariners have pinpointed key air defence installations in two nights of cruise missile strikes against Libya.

The launches from the Trafalgar-class boat – the first since the 2003 war against Saddam Hussein – are the Navy’s contribution to a rain of fire and steel which has landed on Colonel Gaddafi’s forces as Allied nations enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1973.

Aside from the Tomahawk strikes from the submarine – its identity is classified for security reasons – frigates HMS Westminster and Cumberland are on patrol off Libya enforcing an arms embargo under Operation Ellamy, the UK’s military action in support of the UN resolution.

Targets from Zuwara in western Libya to the rebel-held port of Benghazi in the east, plus a military command centre in the city’s capital of Tripoli have been attacked in the concerted Allied series of air and missile strikes.

In addition to the RN’s role in the operation, RAF Tornados have fired bunker-busting Storm Shadow missiles after conducting the longest strike missions since the Falklands conflict.

Major General Jon Lorimer, the Chief of Defence Staff’s spokesman, said the targets had been “carefully selected to avoid civilian casualties and to strike at key military installations in Libya”.

He added: “The campaign Colonel Gaddafi has been waging against his own people is brutal and wrong. The international community has a duty to stop the violence against the Libyan people.”

Rear Admiral Ian Corder, Commander Operations, is directing the RN’s operations from the joint military headquarters in Northwood. At present, Westminster is off Benghazi while Cumberland and the T-boat remain in the area.

Russian 5G subs to be equipped with ballistic, cruise missiles

Russia's proposed fifth-generation nuclear submarines will be armed with both ballistic and cruise missiles, a senior Navy source told RIA Novosti on Saturday.

He did not specify the names of the missiles.

Russia is planning to develop its newest fifth-generation submarine by 2020 under a 2011-2020 arms procurement program, First Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said last month.

Russia also plans to build eight fourth-generation strategic nuclear submarines by 2020 and equip them with Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles, which are expected to be put into service this year.

Defense Ministry submitted the 19 trillion ruble ($651 billion) arms procurement spending plan for 2011-2020 to the government in December. Some 80% of the funds will be spent on buying weapons and 10% will be spent on scientific research.

Lockheed Martin Receives $376 Million to Construct Nation’s Next Littoral Combat Ship

WASHINGTON | The U.S. Navy has awarded a Lockheed Martin-led industry team $376 million to construct the nation’s seventh Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). 

The fixed-price-incentive-fee contract provides funding for the second of 10 ships the Navy awarded to the Lockheed Martin team in December 2010. The contracts for the remaining eight ships will be awarded through 2015. Marinette Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, will construct the ships in Marinette, Wis., and naval architect Gibbs & Cox will provide engineering and design support. 

“As the Lockheed Martin team constructs this next ship, we will remain focused on performance and cost,” said Joe North, vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Littoral Ship Systems business. “The Navy’s 10-ship award provides stability to this program, allowing industry to more efficiently meet the customer’s need for an affordable, multi-mission surface combatant.”

The Lockheed Martin industry team designed and constructed the nation’s first LCS, USS Freedom. USS Freedom was commissioned in 2008 and has sailed more than 50,000 nautical miles. Based at its homeport of San Diego, Calif., the ship completed a highly successful maiden deployment in 2010 and is now fully integrated into the fleet.

LCS 3, the Navy’s future USS Fort Worth and Lockheed Martin’s second LCS, is more than 85 percent complete and was christened and launched in December 2010 – a milestone reached just 20 months after contract award. The program remains on schedule and on budget for delivery to the Navy in 2012. 

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Lockheed bags contract to build next LCS for US Navy

WASHINGTON (BNS): Lockheed Martin has bagged a $376 million contract from the US Navy to construct the seventh Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for it.

The fixed-price-incentive-fee contract provides funding for the second of 10 such ships the Navy awarded to the Lockheed Martin team in December 2010. 

The contracts for the remaining eight ships will be awarded through 2015, Lockheed said.

Marinette Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, will construct the ships in Marinette, Wisconsin, and naval architect Gibbs & Cox will provide engineering and design support, the company said.

Lockheed has already built the first LCS, USS Freedom, for the US Navy which was commissioned in 2008. The construction work for LCS 3, USS Fort Worth, is presently going on at full pace. The ship is expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2012.

The US Navy intends to procure a total of 55 Littoral Combat Ships for multi-mission support. 

The LCS has been envisioned to be a versatile, networked, agile, surface combatant vessel capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats in the littorals.

Northrop, US Navy complete second, third flights of X-47B

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE (BNS): Less than a month after completing the first flight of the US Navy's X-47B UCAS-Demonstration aircraft, flight test engineers from Northrop Grumman and the Navy have successfully completed the aircraft's second and third flights.

The flights, both conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, mark the beginning of a process called envelope expansion during which the test team will begin proving that the tailless aircraft can perform safely over a broad range of altitudes, air speeds and operating weights.

During the X-47B's 39-minute second flight on March 1, the aircraft flew to an altitude of 7,500 feet at speeds up to 200 knots. During its 41-minute third flight on March 4, the aircraft reached an altitude of 7,500 feet and a top speed of 180 knots. By comparison, the X-47B flew only to 5,000 feet at a top speed of 180 knots during its first flight February 4, a statement by Northrop Grumman said.

Phil Saunders, chief engineer for Northrop Grumman's Navy UCAS programme, said envelope expansion is designed to fully characterize the aircraft's flying qualities and prove that they match the system's performance requirements and the test team's predictions. 

"Over the next few flights, we'll continue to expand the envelope in terms of air speed, altitude and operating weight range," he said. 

Northrop Grumman and the Navy expect to complete the planned 49-flight envelope expansion program at Edwards Air Force Base before moving the first X-47B to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, later this year, he added. 

One of the most important measures of performance, Saunders explains, is aircraft stability. The X-47B, which relies on high-speed computers to manage its flight control surfaces, must be able to adjust quickly and automatically to unpredictable environmental conditions such as air turbulence or cross winds. 

The recent test flights included a series of maneuvers designed to measure the aircraft's ability to maintain a smooth, level flying state in the presence of such conditions.

The flight tests also confirmed that the X-47B's flush mounted air data system – a nod to its low-observable-relevant design – is accurately sensing and communicating the aircraft's air speed, a critical factor in takeoff and landing.

The Navy awarded the UCAS-D prime contract to Northrop Grumman in August 2007. The six-year contract calls for the development of two X-47B fighter-sized aircraft. 

The programme will demonstrate the first-ever carrier launches and recoveries by a tailless, unmanned aircraft. Autonomous aerial refueling will also be performed after carrier integration and at-sea trials.

Fiscal Year 2011 Littoral Combat Ship Contract Awards Announced

Contract modifications were issued to Lockheed Martin Corporation and Austal USA March 17, under their respective Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) block buy contracts to add funding for construction of one fiscal year 2011 Littoral Combat Ship each.

This is the second ship fully funded for each contractor under its previously-awarded, fixed-price incentive "block buy" contract for the design and construction of up to ten LCS Flight 0+ ships. The two block buy contracts provide for the acquisition of a total of up to 20 LCS from fiscal year 2010 through fiscal year 2015, subject to availability of appropriations.

The amount of funds added under the block buy contract with Lockheed Martin Corporation for the fiscal year 2011 LCS ship is $376,621,375. The amount of funds added under the block buy contract with Austal USA for the fiscal year 2011 LCS ship is $368,592,125.

The ships will be built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette, Wis., and Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., respectively.

The prices for the fiscal year 2011 ships were determined based on the competitive, LCS dual block buy contracts that were awarded Dec. 29, 2010.

"The awards represent the Navy's commitment to driving down costs in the littoral combat ship program," said Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Sean Stackley. "We are executing the dual award strategy for these ships. Efforts to stabilize design, improve production planning, invest in shipbuilder improvements and leverage long-term vendor agreements all within the framework of a competitive fixed-price contract have returned this program to the level of affordability necessary for the Navy to move forward with construction at efficient rates in support of the 55-ship LCS requirement."

The additional funding obligated is for the seventh and eighth ships in the LCS class. USS Freedom (LCS 1) was delivered to the Navy September 2008 and is undergoing a continuous maintenance availability at its homeport of San Diego. USS Independence (LCS 2) was delivered to the Navy December 2009 and is currently undergoing test and trials in Mayport, Fla. Fort Worth (LCS 3) and Coronado (LCS 4) are under construction at Marinette Marine and Austal USA, respectively, and are expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2012.

LCS is needed to fill critical, urgent warfighting requirements gaps that exist today. LCS is required to establish and maintain U.S. Navy dominance in the littorals and sea lines of communication choke points around the world.

Russia to advance its 5G subs with ballistic, cruise missile- report

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia is planning to equip its fifth-generation nuclear submarines with both ballistic and cruise missiles, a media report said.

According to RIA Novosti, Russian Defence Ministry has already proposed to develop a newest fifth-generation submarine by 2020 under a 2011-2020 arms procurement programme, First Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said last month.

It is reported that, Russia has also plans to build eight fourth-generation strategic nuclear submarines by 2020 and equip them with Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles, which are expected to be put into service this year.

Russia Defence Ministry has also planned to spend over 19 trillion rubles ($665 billion) for the state arms procurement programme, it said.

Operation Tomodachi update, March 19 – from US Navy 7th Fleet

Photo: Sailors aboard USS Fitzgerald prepare to lower a rigid hull inflatable boat into the ocean to assist Japanese authorities with search and rescue and recovery operations.

Despite cold weather and aftershocks as strong as 6.1 in magnitude, 7th Fleet forces continued sustainment of life efforts in support of Operation Tomodachi.  A total of 12,750 personnel, 20 ships, and 140 aircraft are participating in Operation Tomodachi.  Seventh Fleet forces have delivered a total of 110 tons of relief supplies to date.

The Warlords of HSL-51, Black Knights of HS-4, and Battlecats of HSL-43 continued Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief efforts by delivering 29 tons of aid from ships of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group to locations ashore.  Helicopters rendered much needed materials to Hachinohe airport as well as landing zones that mark shelters for displaced persons.  Hachinohe serves as a staging point for further distribution of aid.

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Russian Navy's submarine force will acquire up to 10 newest fourth-generation Severodvinsk-type nuclear subs (Project 885 Yasen), reports RIA Novosti referring to a high-ranking representative of Navy Main HQ. 

Lead sub of this series – SSGN Severodvinsk – must be commissioned this year. The second submarine SSGN Kazan is being presently built at Sevmashshipyard. The third sub of this project will be laid down till the current year is over. 

"We plan to receive somewhat 10 new Severodvinsk-type nuclear submarines", said the admiral. 

On March 19 Russia is going to celebrate the 105th anniversary of Russian submarine force. 

According to the interviewee, distinctive feature of those subs will be a standardized launcher operating with almost all types of cruise missiles from Onyx to Caliber. "Those missiles will be also capable to destroy land targets at the range up to 2,500 km", he said. 

The admiral emphasized there must be no problems with commissioning of such submarines. "Scheduled test launches of standard armament are being currently performed", said the official. 

A Project 885 submarine has displacement of 8,600/13,800 tons; dimensions are 119 x 13.5 x 9.4 meters; test depth is 600 meters; full speed is 16/31 knots; crew is 90 (including 32 officers).

Indian, Singapore navy to engage in five-day naval exercise in South China Sea

SINGAPORE (PTI): The five-day joint naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Singapore Navy will start Saturday in the South China Sea.

Five Indian navy ships, under the command of Rear Admiral Harish Chandra Singh Bisht, arrived in Singapore on Friday for the drill that aims to strengthen bilateral maritime security relations.

The joint exercises, held on alternate year in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, has built up understanding and knowledge between Indian and Singapore navies, Rear Admiral Joseph Leong, Fleet Commander of the Republic of Singapore Navy told PTI at a reception hosted on board INS Jyoti.

He cited benefits of the joint exercise and cooperation developed by the Indian and Singapore navies in tackling major challenges and especially the piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

"We understand each other and have a high level contact in managing maritime security," said Rear Admiral Leong.

Rear Admiral Bisht said the annual exercises, held since 1994, were important to sharpen the skill of naval forces.

INS Delhi, INS Ranvijay, INS Ranveer, INS Jyoti and INS Kirch manned by 1,400 naval personnel are participating in the exercise. Singapore will have four naval ships including a submarine.

INS Ranvijay, the most powerful Indian naval ship, will carry out anti-submarine and anti-missile exercises.

But this time, the exercises would be a "mock warfare" though in the past live firing were tried out.

Tanzania asks SA for anti-pirate help

Tanzania has requested South Africa to assist it in fighting piracy, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Lindiwe Sisulu says. 

“I am informed that the Government has received a request from Tanzania, through the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, which has been forwarded to the Department of Defence,” she said in an oral reply to a question by National Council of Provinces member RA Lees.

“The matter has subsequently been referred to the acting Chief of the National Defence Force so that he may advice the Minister, and the Minister may advice the Cabinet. Currently the matter is under consideration.”

Cabinet last month tasked Sisulu with developing a strategy to address the threat of piracy in Southern African waters. Government spokesman Jimmy Manyi at a post-Cabinet media briefing said the executive had “noted the increasing threat of piracy in South African waters and agreed to explore initiatives aimed at assisting Somalia to counter some of the root causes of piracy.” Government also “further supported the implementation of the Eastern and Southern African-Indian Ocean (EAS-IO) strategy to combat piracy along the coast of Somalia and the greater Southern African waters.” 

Manyi said the strategy, once completed, would be put to Cabinet for consideration. He noted the “strategy that will focus on South Africa’s stance in relation to stabilising the political situation in Somalia; the legislative framework dealing with criminals involved in piracy; the positioning and strengthening of South African naval forces’ capacity in relation to the continent and other countries; and co-opting assistance from neighbouring countries.” 

Sisulu told a media briefing on February 25 the Valour-class frigate SAS Mendi was already off Mozambique informally collecting information on piracy and cooperating with authorities there “to ensure maritime security in Southern African waters. 

“We experienced an intrusion into the waters of SADC around the 28th of December with the hijacking of a Mozambican vessel that contained 28 Mozambicans and two Spanish sailors,” Sisulu said. “The Mozambicans requested of us to assist them because they don’t have the necessary equipment and in terms of a memorandum of understanding we have with Mozambique we responded to this. 

“We have now gone back to Cabinet in line with the developments and the trend that we see on the matter of piracy to say it is important that we look at this matter and devise strategies to deal with it so that we don’t have a once off response to this problem. We do know that the African Union is committed to ensuring that if we are going to deal with the matter of Somalia piracy we have got to attend to the matter of the transitional Government in Somalia,” she said.

“You will remember that the President indicated that we are doing all we can as South Africa to ensure that we can assist the fragile transitional Government of Somalia so that we have institutions on Somalia that can hold and that can impose some form of law and order. On the other hand it is not possible for us to sit back when we have incursion on waters that we are responsible for so we deployed the SAS Mendi to patrol the borders so that it can bring us a little more information and actually indicate to anybody out there that South African waters is protected. We have not yet formally deployed and when we do first Cabinet will be informed, Parliament will be informed and the public will be informed however we remain very concerned about the intrusion of piracy into our space and we remain determined that we will not allow it to continue.”

SAMSA talks jobs

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) has forecast that it will be able to create 1800 jobs in the sector over the next year.

Critical to meeting that target was a cadet training programme, which would be done through the South African Maritime Training Academy in partnership with the private sector. The announcement was made in Cape Town this week by Samsa chief executive, Tsietsi Mokhele, who highlighted that they were responding to the government's focus on job creation.

Mokhele said that as part of a mandate from government, they had developed a strategy to improve the country's maritime economy, but a major drawback had been the lack of skills in the sector in both sea and shore based human resources, the state BuaNews agency says. This, he said, had contributed to the drop in active shipping companies in South Africa. Mokhele said the training programme had the potential "to double or triple job creation in the sector."

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Navy Announces ICEX 2011 Subs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Commander, Submarine Force (COMSUBFOR) announced the Virginia-class submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) and the Seawolf-class submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) have commenced Ice Exercise 2011 (ICEX-2011) in the Arctic Ocean, March 15. 

USS New Hampshire is home ported in Groton, Conn., and commanded by Cmdr. John McGunnigle, while USS Connecticut is home ported in Bremerton, Wash., and commanded by Cmdr. Michael Varney.

The two submarines will conduct testing on submarine operations in Arctic waters. 

"It is critical that we continue to operate and train today's submarines in the challenging Arctic environment," said Capt. Rhett Jaehn, ice camp officer-in-tactical-command and deputy director of operations at COMSUBFOR. "ICEX 2011 is the latest in a series of Arctic exercises, which are key to ensuring our submarines are trained and ready to support U.S. interests in this region."

The overall exercise has been planned and will be coordinated by the Navy's Arctic Submarine Laboratory located aboard Naval Base Point Loma San Diego. A temporary tracking range will be built into the ice flow at the Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station (APLIS) North of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The camp consists of a small village, constructed and operated especially for ICEX, by the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory, and members of the U.S., Canadian, and British navies. 

U.S. submarines must continue to train in the Arctic environment to refine and validate procedures and required equipment, as the Arctic Ocean serves as a route for submarines to transit between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The U.S. Submarine Force conducts these exercises in the Arctic in order to assure continued access to this unique region.

Submarines have conducted under-ice operations in the Arctic regions in support of inter-fleet transit, training, cooperative allied engagements and operations for more than 50 years. USS Nautilus (SSN 571) made the first transit in 1958. 

USS Skate (SSN 578) was the first U.S. submarine to surface through arctic ice at the North Pole in March 1959. Since those events, the U.S. Submarine Force has completed more than 25 Arctic exercises at a pace of one ice camp every two years. Three of these have been done in conjunction with allied submarines.

Iran sends Navy fleet to Gulf of Aden

The Iranian Navy has dispatched its thirteen fleet of warships to the piracy-ridden waters of the Gulf of Aden in a bid to guard Iranian merchant containers and oil tankers.

"The thirteen fleet of warships, comprised of Tonb and Delvar vessels is tasked with boosting security for Iranian merchant containers and oil tankers in the Gulf of Aden and north of the Indian Ocean for a period of 60 days," IRNA quoted Commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Fariborz Qaderpanah as saying on Thursday. 

The Iranian military commander also hailed the successful passage of the 12th fleet of warships through the Suez Canal and to the Mediterranean Sea in late January --the first ever journey following Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution . 

"Over the course of the last two years, the Iranian fleet of warships has successfully managed to display its powerful presence in turmoil-stricken Gulf of Aden, and foil any attempt to impair transportation routes along the country's sea border" Qaderpanah added. 

The Iranian Navy has so far dispatched a number of military warships to the Gulf of Aden to guard Iranian and foreign vessels sailing in international waters. 

The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, when Somali raiders hijacked the Iranian-chartered cargo ship MV Delight off the coast of Yemen. 

The Gulf of Aden -- which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea -- is an important energy corridor, particularly because the Persian Gulf oil is shipped to the West through the Suez Canal. 

According to US Department of Energy estimates, the water way is the quickest transit point for ships laden with some 3.3 million barrels of crude -- almost 4% of daily global demand. 

Somali pirates cut ransoms to clear hijacked ships

Somali pirates said earlier this week that they would lower some of their ransom demands to get a faster turnover of ships they hijack in the Indian Ocean.

Armed pirate gangs, who have made millions of dollars capturing ships as far south as the Seychelles and eastwards towards India, said they were holding too many vessels and needed a quicker handover to generate more income.

"I believe there is no excuse for taking high ransoms. At least each of our groups holds ships now," pirate Hussein told Reuters from Hobyo on the Somali coast. He said the pirates were holding more than 30 ships at the moment.

"We have lowered the ransom only for the ships we have used to hijack other ships. We sometimes release these ships free of charge for they generate more (money). But we shall not lower the ransom for the bulk ships we are sure can bring bulk money."

Using captured merchant vessels as launchpads for new hijackings, the pirates have grown bolder despite a loosely coordinated global response, and insurance premiums for shipping lines have rocketed.

Pirates hold seized ships for an average of up to 150 days before freeing them for ransoms, some as high as $9.5 million for the release of Samho Dream, a South Korean oil supertanker.

Abdullahi, another pirate, said any decrease in ransom would be calculated by the ship's value, its cargo and the length of time it had been held.

"We have changed our previous strategies. We have altered our operations and ransom deals with modern business deals," he said from the port town of Haradhere.

"We want to free ships within a short period of time instead of keeping them for a long time and incurring more expenses in guarding them. We have to free them at a lower ransom so that we can hijack more ships."

Attacks have grown since 2007 when young Somalis in small skiffs with AK-47s and rocket propelled grenades took to the water is to seek their fortunes.

But since late February, the pirates have had to share their spoils with the Al Shabaab Islamist rebels, who profess loyalty to al Qaeda. The insurgents - who have been waging a four-year insurrection against the country's Western-backed government - struck a deal to get a 20 percent cut of ransoms in Haradhere.

Pirates said the rebels had no say in their plan.

"Al Shabaab has nothing to do with our plan to lower ransoms. We agreed on a fixed 20 percent cut. Low or high ransom, the agreement is fixed," said Abdullahi.

Pirates seize ship and use it for further attacks; Libyan ship hijacked

Somali pirates hijacked a ship off the East African coast on Wednesday and are using it as a mother ship from which to attack other vessels.

The European Union’s Navfor anti-piracy task force said yesterday that between 30 and 50 pirates had captured the Indonesian flagged MV Sinar Kudus in the Arabian Sea and then used it to try and hijack the Liberian flagged cargo vessel Emperor nearby. However, private security on board the ship repelled the attack after an exchange of fire.

Meanwhile, pirates released the Panama flagged chemical tanker MV Hannibal II after four months. The 30 crewmembers on board were ‘safe and in good health,’ according to EU Navfor. In December last year one of the crew being held hostage was thought to have appendicitis and the pirates allowed a German medical team, with assistance from the EU Navfor, to evacuate the patient.

The Hannibal II was released after US$2 million ransom was paid, Tunisia’s transport ministry said yesterday. Most of the crew on board are Tunisian. The vessel is currently on its way to Djibouti in the Red Sea. “Negotiations have not been easy,” said Farid Abbas, owner of Gabes Marine Tankers (GMT), which owns the vessel.

The 24 000 tonne chemical tanker was carrying vegetable oil from Malaysia to Suez in Egypt when it was attacked and boarded by pirates some east of the Horn of Africa on November 11, AFP reports.

In a separate incident, a Libyan ship was hijacked in the Mediterranean. GNMTC, a Libyan owned shipping line, said its Anwaar Afriqya tanker with 22 crew on board was hijacked by an armed group and diverted to the port of Tobruk near the Egyptian border. GNMTC believes the hijackers are Libyan rebels opposed to Muammar Ghadafi. The Anwaar Afriqya was carrying 23 800 tons of petrol from Greece.

“This piracy operation must have been planned with the assistance of high technology and sophisticated positioning equipment plus vessel departure and loading information,” GNMTC said in its statement.

Pirates are holding roughly 30 ships and 600 crew hostage. According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), there have been five attempted hijackings off the coast of Somalia in the past week.

Black Cat display team unveil summer programme

THE sun’s shining, the t-shirts are out in force, so summer must be imminent.

Which means its time for the Fleet Air Arm’s display team to perform again.

The Black Cats – two pirouetting Lynx Mk8 from 702 NAS which appear at air shows across the UK and north-west Europe – have unveiled their programme for the 2011 season when an estimated four million people will witness their aerobatics.

The helicopters are earmarked to appear at 15 shows between May and October performing a similar display to the 2010 circuit – with a few ‘crowd-pleasing’ improvements.

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WEST EXPERIENCES FLEET CONCENTRATION FOR EXERCISE TRITON STORM 2

Fleet Base West has been seeing a lot of activity in recent times, as Australian and New Zealand ships, along with around 1200 sailors and officers, have converged on the West.

Australian and New Zealand Navies are participating in the comprehensive maritime training Exercise TRITON STORM 2 from 8 March – 8 April 2011.

As an Australian Navy-led, joint combined training activity, the exercise involves HMA Ships Perth, Parramatta, Ballarat, Toowoomba,Sirius and Waller, Ships Te Mana and Te Kaha as well as operating with RAAF and RNZAF including Hawks, AP-3C and P3K Orions and Wedge tail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft.

The purpose of TRITON STORM 2 is to ensure Navy personnel have the training required to progress Navy’s mission in 2011.

It also enables new personnel to be integrated into the ships’ company and apply their skills in practical situations.

The exercise is providing HMAS Toowoomba (Commander Andrew Quinn) the opportunity to progress to Unit Readiness, in preparation for operational deployment mid year.

HMAS Toowoomba successfully completed Work Up Progress Evaluation (WUPE) in the first week of Exercise TRITON STORM and will continue their training to achieve Unit Readiness in April.

Toowoomba’s involvement in TRITON STORM 2 provides Fleet Commander; through Sea Training Group, a very detailed assessment of the ship’s capabilities and also the opportunity to improve.

These training and assessment scenarios are designed to be as realistic as possible and require the ship’s company to complete tasks under significant stress.

Commander Andrew Quinn commented on the early progress of Toowoomba’s training.

“I am very proud of the efforts and enthusiasm of my crew. There’s more work to be done but we are achieving what we have set out to do. I believe we are on track to achieve our unit readiness in the coming weeks.”

The Exercise Director, CAPT Vandyke, said that training and preparedness is particularly important for all of Navy whilst maintaining the current high operational tempo, including response to civil emergency situations.

“Realistic training is an essential part of what we do. So when things happen for real, you are prepared mentally, physically and professionally.”

Exercise TRITON STORM 2 is the second of the four exercises in the TRITON Exercise series.

Senegal gains a landing craft

The French ADIT think tank reports that country's navy has transferred the landing craft “Sabre” (L9051) to the Senegal Navy within the framework of a cooperation agreement. The French navy has operated two of these tank and infantry landing craft. 

Details are sketchy but the Sabre was launched in March 1987 and commissioned in June that year. It has an overall length of 60 metres and a beam of 11.9 metres. 

The authoritative International Institute for Strategic Studies credits Senegal with a navy mustering some 950 personnel crewing 10 patrol and coastal combatants and up to now, two Edic 700 landing craft.

Pacific Fleet will celebrate the Submariners' Day

On March 19 there will be a 105th anniversary of Russian submarine force. Festive events will take place in all Pacific Fleet's (PF) submarine bases. 

They will start at 8 am (local time) with solemn hoisting ceremony of ensigns and dressing flags, parades in PF submarine units, and honoring of heroic submariners. 

At 11 am a wreath-laying ceremony will take place in Vladivostok at the Pacific Fleet Battle Glory Memorial.

Then it will be a festive meeting held in PF Officers' Club. It is planned to award distinguished personnel and conduct a concert. 

Over 100 years ago when nobody heard the word of "submarine", Baltiysky Zavod shipyard almost completed "mine carrier 150". That project developed by eminent Russian engineers Bubnov and Beklemishev was destined to become the first Russian submarine bearing the name of Delfin. 

New class of warships – submarines – was used for the first time during the Russo-Japanese War. Although subs were not officially recognized, they made the enemy waver. 

In 1906 the imperial decree included submarines into Russian Navy's hull classification as a new class of warships. 

During the First World War submarines were widely used for sea lanes warfare, and finally shaped into a separate branch of the Navy capable to accomplish tactical and some strategic missions. 

Over 20 large-size, 80 medium-size, 60 small-size submarines and 20 mine-laying submarines had been constructed for Soviet Navy in the period of 1930-1939. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War four Soviet fleets had in inventory 212 submarines. 

A watershed in the history of Soviet Navy was introduction of nuclear reactors as submarines' propulsion. That happened in 50's, and since that time subs have the capability of almost unlimited endurance. 

Battle chronicles of Pacific Fleet submariners contain unprecedented in courage and fortitude long-term cruises, passages along the Northern Sea Route under Arctic pack ice, multi-month patrols in the Pacific and the Indian oceans. 

PF submariners were first who assimilated many new classes of submarines equipped with most advanced arms and technical facilities. 

Eighteen PF submariners were titled Heroes of the Soviet Union, two – Heroes of Russia. 

Ten crews and one submarine division were awarded with Defense Minister's Pennants for courage and service merits. 

One of PF submarine squadrons was awarded with the Red Banner's Order in peacetime.

Russian Navy's HQ moves to St. Petersburg

Russian defense minister made a definitive decision to transfer Navy Main HQ to St. Petersburg. Practically, it implies loss of control over the fleet for a long time including naval component of strategic nuclear force, and appropriation of enormous funds to create a parallel structure. 

"Basic divisions of Navy Main HQ will move to St. Petersburg, including operational department and intelligence section. However, building of the Admiralty which is planned to accommodate Navy HQ is by no means ready for that. There are neither appropriate secure communication facilities, nor automated control systems, nor nuclear force control system, nor missile warning system. So far, there is only a door-plate "Navy Commander-in-Chief" hanged, reportsArgumenty Nedeli citing a source in the Navy.

Baltic Fleet to be reinforced with newest ships

Russia's Baltic Fleet (BF) will receive new surface ships armed with up-to-date weapons in the nearest years under perspective Navy Renovation Program, said BF Commander Viktor Chirkov. 

This statement was made at BF top officers' meeting convened with a view to deliberate about 5-year development concept of the Russia's oldest fleet [Baltic Fleet], its role in current geopolitical situation and combat worthiness. 

Chirkov underlined that the scheduled reinforcement with new corvettes and landing ships would contribute to increasing fleet's combat capabilities, reports ITAR-TASS. 

In 2010 the fleet acquired new ships equipped with sophisticated arms and facilities – frigate Yaroslav Mudry, corvette Stereguschiy, and diesel submarine St. Petersburg, said Capt 2 rank Andrei Taraman, BF Commander's press secretary. 

As for Chirkov, near-term outlook includes commissioning of corvettes Soobrazitelny and Boiky. Ships of this project are designed for antisurface/antisubmarine/antiaircraft warfare and fire support of landing operations. 

In addition, old ships operated by BF will be also modernized with new equipment and armament. 

As for BF Commander's conclusion, today's Baltic Fleet effectively performs its critical mission to protect Russia's national interests and maintain stability at western boundary".

INS Vikramaditya to start sea trials in the falls

Indian carrier INS Vikramaditya (former Russian aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov) which is being modernized at defense shipyardSevmash will conduct her first sortie in the falls of 2011, reported ITAR-TASS referring to Anastasia Nikitinskaya, the head of Sevmash's press service, having specified that "approximately, in October or November". 

The carrier undergoes mooring trials since March 1. According to Sevmash's press service, test of main propulsion plant will be the most complicated and critical. Another high-end task is testing of radioelectronic systems including those made in India, and air-technical facilities. End objective of mooring trials is preparation of shipborne systems for coming sea trials. 

According to Russian-Indian intergovernmental package agreement signed in Jan 2004 in New Delhi, hull of Russian aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov was handed over to India for free providing that the ship would be modernized by Sevmash and equipped with Russian-made air wing. Also, Russia will train about 1 500 Indian crewmembers and construct basing infrastructure in the Indian Ocean. As reported by Indian sources, Russian aircraft carrier would cost them $2.33 bln. 

The carrier must be delivered to Indian Navy in the end of 2012. Reportedly, her service life would be 30 years. 

Admiral Gorshkov (formerly named Baku) was commissioned into Northern Fleet in 1987. The ship's length was 283 meters; beam – 51 meters; displacement – 45,000 tons. The carrier's after-upgrade specifications have not been disclosed so far.

Russia will lease SSN Nerpa to India no later than in Oct 2011

Russia will lease nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) Nerpa to India no later than in Oct 2011, reported RIA Novosti referring to a high-ranking source in Russian Navy Main HQ. 

Some media agencies previously reported that SSNNerpa had been allegedly leased to India for a 10-year term. 

"Nerpa is fully ready for leasing. Currently, Indian crew is trained in the sub along with Russian instructors. The training must be completed by October, as we're behind the schedule", said the interviewee. 

He specified that Indian submariners must complete the full training program including cruise missile firings. 

"What we must do now is to "coach" the Indian crew in full", said the admiral. 

Then the sub will head for India, he concluded. 

It was planned to hand over SSN Nerpa to Indian Navy as early as 2009, but a fire occurred in the sub on Nov 8, 2008 during the shipyard's sea trials in the Sea of Japan. As a result of unauthorized operation of firefighting system, freon gas entered the sub's compartments. Twenty men died, other 21 were intoxicated. Totally, there were 208 men on board the submarine while the accident happened. 

SSN Nerpa was commissioned into Russian Navy after repair in Dec 2009. 

According to RIA Novosti, the $920 mln contract provides the lease term of 10 years. 

SSN Nerpa (K-152, Project 971 Schuka-B) is a third-generation submarine laid down at Amur Shipyard(Komsomolsk-on-Amur) in 1991. However, financing of the sub's construction was shut down in mid-90's. Completion of the submarine became possible only under India's investment. 

The sub's displacement is 8,140/12,770 tons; max speed is 30 knots; test depth is 600 meters; endurance is 100 days; crew is 73; armament includes four 533-mm torpedo tubes and four 650-mm torpedo tubes.