James Fisher Names Hales Head of Defense
James Fisher and Sons plc announces the appointment of Rob Hales as Head of Defense with responsibility for directing and overseeing the group’s global defense division operations and growth. In this capacity, Hales sits on the James Fisher executive team and reports to Chief Executive Officer, Jean Vernet."We’re very pleased to have Rob join us as Head of Defense at a pivotal moment both for James Fisher and for international security more broadly. Rob’s strategic leadership experience within the defense industry means he has a clear focus on customer needs and market opportuniti
Australia Outlines $245 Billion Nuclear Submarine Plan
Australia's nuclear-powered submarine program with the United States and Britain will cost up to A$368 billion ($245 billion) over the next three decades, a defense official said on Tuesday, the country's biggest single defense project in history.U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday unveiled details of a plan to provide Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines, a major step to counter China's naval build up in the Indo-Pacific.Albanese said the program would start with a A$6 billion ($4 billion)
US, Australia to Unveil Submarine Pact to Counter China
U.S. President Joe Biden will meet leaders of Australia and Britain in San Diego on Monday to announce a way forward for Australia to receive nuclear-powered submarines in Canberra's biggest-ever defense project.The three countries announced the so-called AUKUS plan in 2021 as part of efforts to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region.However, questions remain over strict U.S. curbs on the extensive technology sharing needed for the project and about the length of time it will take to deliver the submarines.Australia is expected to buy up to five U.S. Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines in
Kraken’s Wins $1.5m in SAS Orders for Defense Customer
Kraken Robotics announced $1.5 million in orders from a US defense customer for our AquaPix synthetic aperture sonars (SAS). These 6000-meter rated systems will be integrated to the customer’s Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). Delivery is expected in 2023.
DriX USV Takes Part in Middle East Naval Exercise
Following the success of the Digital Horizon 22 Unmanned & Artificial Intelligence Exercise organized by the U.S. Navy in Bahrain, Exail Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), DriX, was selected by the 5th fleet’s task force 59 to take part in the two-week 2023 International Maritime Exercise (IMX 23), that will be held in Bahrain and Jordan from March 5 to 16.Middle East region’s largest naval exercise, IMX23 is a multinational event involving more than 50 partner-nations and international organizations operating in the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and
Ocean Business '23 preps for Southampton, Announces Exhibitor List
any mission, from exploration to surveying, inspection and more.Leading UK scientific technology company ANB Sensors will present its state-of-the-art pH sensors, which operate to depths of 1,250m in fresh or saltwater environments, are virtually maintenance-free and allow for long-term remote monitoring.Subsea cable specialist Novacavi, meanwhile, will provide updates on its range of solutions designed to meet the most complex needs of marine and underwater technology – expertise that has seen the company support projects from upgrading the infrastructure of the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor
KTG Partners with Leonardo on K50 Capabilities
Kraken Technology Group (KTG) signed a partnership agreement with Leonardo, a partnership that reflects several areas of collaboration and development starting with the integration of Leonardo’s Black Scorpion mini-torpedo system into the K50 KRAKEN platform to enhance its sub-surface domain capability. The collaboration continues with the opportunity to integrate a broader range of Leonardo systems into future Kraken platforms, including LIONFISH to provide defence and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) capability.The K50 KRAKEN is a fully-integrated, maritime precision engagement fast-boat
UK Navy Buys Mine-hunting ‘Mother Ship’
A specialist ship purchased by the U.K. Royal Navy to support mine-hunting operations has arrived in Plymouth.When deployed, the vessel will be based at Naval Base Clyde and used as a mother ship tp support the safeguarding of U.K. waters from the threat of mines at sea, operating a range of uncrewed systems that will help keep personnel at a safe distance under Project Wilton.Purchased from Norway's Island Offshore, the the 96.8-meter-long vessel – currently named Island Crown, but due to be renamed as it joins the fleet – arrived at HMNB Devonport, where it will undergo minimal
Naval War College Professor Shares History, Breadth of Unmanned Systems
Robotic and unmanned systems are having an impact in many aspects of American culture. How these systems are used for military and civilian purposes was the topic of a Knowledge Management Forum at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport on Jan. 18.The lecture, titled "Robots that Fly, Swim and Crawl," was given by professor John E. Jackson of the Naval War College (NWC) and broadcast via livestream.Basing his presentation on his book “One Nation, Under Drones,” published by the U.S. Naval Institute in 2018, Jackson covered the history of unmanned systems
Hearing the Light: DAS could Revolutionize Subsea Defense
surface ships, earthquakes, surface waves, and distant ocean storms, and could even act as a worldwide tsunami warning system.Given its capability to provide a wide area, persistent sensor network that is already positioned throughout the vastness of the oceans, there is considerable potential for DAS in subsea defense operations – specifically, by providing an additional layer of surveillance coverage, tracking both surface and subsurface targets. DAS could detect and track surface warships, augmenting intelligence gathered from other ISR platforms such as satellites and aircraft. In addition to
Australia Speeds Up Purchase of Sea Mines to Shore Up Maritime Defense
Australia said on Monday it would accelerate plans to buy advanced sea mines to protect its maritime routes and ports from "potential aggressors" amid China's plans to increase its influence in the Pacific region.The so-called smart sea mines are designed to differentiate between military targets and other types of ships, a defence department spokesperson said in a statement."(Australia) is accelerating the acquisition of smart sea mines, which will help to secure sea lines of communication and protect Australia's maritime approaches," it said. "A modern sea mining
DriX USV Takes Part in Military Exercise in Bahrain
Exail, formerly iXblue, recently took part in the Digital Horizon Unmanned & Artificial Intelligence Exercise in Bahrain, organized by the US Navy. The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet held the three-week exercise in December to test new unmanned technologies, as part of its plans to establish the world’s first Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) fleet of one hundred drones in the Gulf by the end of the summer.The current geopolitical situation means that manned assets are in increasing demand elsewhere, leading the Navy to look to the latest unmanned technologies to expand its capabilities. Vice Adm.
Nord Stream Gas Pipelines Rupture: Survey Underway, No Conclusions Reached Yet, Says Novak
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday that a survey of the ruptured undersea Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines was still under way and no conclusions had been reached, RIA news agency reported.Both pairs of lines were together able to pump 110 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany - more than enough to handle all Russia's pipeline gas exports outside the former Soviet Union in 2022.Moscow has blamed the West for the as-yet unexplained explosions that caused the ruptures without providing evidence, while NATO Secretary-General
UK Defense Ministry Buys Offshore Construction Vessel for Subsea Cable, Pipelines Protection
The UK defense ministry has acquired a subsea construction vessel that used to work in the offshore energy industry. The vessel, Topaz Tangaroa, will undergo a period of military modification and will be used to protect subsea cables and oil and gas pipelines.The Topaz Tangaora, to be renamed as it joins the Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet, is the first of two future undersea surveillance ships, and it arrived at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. Thursday.Once operational, the ship will be used to protect seabed telecommunications cables and oil and gas pipelines. "The 98-meter-long, adaptable offshore
Russia's Newest Nuclear Submarine Heads to the Arctic
Russian navy’s newest nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Generalissimo Suvorov is on its way to a temporary base for the Northern Fleet in the Arctic, the TASS news agency reported on Tuesday, citing an unidentified defence source.“Recently, the submarine cruiser Generalissimo Suvorov has started moving from Severodvinsk, where it was located at the Sevmash shipyard, to a temporary base for the Northern Fleet,” the state agency cited its source as saying.The strategic submarine was officially included into the Russian navy at the end of 2022 by President Vladimir Putin.
Saab Receives Order for Life Extension of Swedish Mine Countermeasures Ships
Saab has signed an agreement with FMV on the life extension of two Koster-class mine countermeasures ships. The order value is SEK 350 million. The contract also includes options for FMV to order measures regarding the remaining three ships in the Koster-class. The total value of the options are SEK 270 million.The contract with FMV means that Saab will carry out life extensions of two Koster-class mine countermeasures ships. The modernization involves an exchange of systems for life extension and enhanced capabilities to ensure continued operability. The program includes, among other things, a new
Ex-USS Denver Served Until Sunk
Explosive charges aboard the ship enabled battle damage assessment (BDA) teams to respond to actual damageThe former Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Denver (LPD 9) was sunk in a blaze of glory as a target ship during the recent Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2022. The 9,600-ton, 561-foot Denver, which was commissioned in 1968 and served until being retired in 2014, had been stored with other inactive ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, before being sunk about 50 miles north of Kauai in about 15,000 feet of water.Before going down on July 22, Denver made one more valuable contribution to
US Navy to Name Oceanographic Survey Ship USNS Robert Ballard
The U.S. Navy's next Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship will be named USNS Robert Ballard (T-AGS 67), Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced on Wednesday.The name selection follows the tradition of naming survey ships after explorers, oceanographers and distinguished marine surveyors. Widely known as a discoverer of the final resting place of the R.M.S. Titanic, Dr. Robert Ballard is a retired U.S. Navy Commander, former director of the Center for Ocean Exploration, and a tenured professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School
Austal USA Commences Submarine Work
Shipbuilder Austal USA on Wednesday announced production has commenced at its Mobile, Ala. shipyard in support of the company’s partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) to support the U.S. Navy’s recapitalization of the nation’s nuclear submarine fleet. As part of the partnership, Austal USA is constructing and outfitting Command and Control Systems Modules (CCSM) and Electronic Deck Modules (EDM) for the Virginia- and Columbia-class programs. GDEB commenced on-the-job training efforts in April 2022 to provide certification for skilled trades and supervisory
February 2023
