Marte Mk2N test
(click to view full)

Finmeccanica subsidiary SELEX Galileo recently announced [PDF] a EUR 26 million (about $38.7 million) contract for SM-1S radar seekers, as part of an MBDA contract for the provision of Marte MK2/N anti-ship missiles to “a Middle East customer.” The SM-1S integrates a new digital processor developed to enhance processing of the missile’s radar data, in order to improve detection and accuracy in environments that include near-shore’s high clutter levels.

The Marte Mk2/N anti-ship missile was introduced in 2006 as a naval variant of the helicopter-launched Mk2/S. The customer in this case is almost certainly the UAE, which became the Marte Mk2/N missile’s first customer when it contracted for 24 refit and new-build Ghannatha class 26.5 meter patrol boats at IDEX 2009. Some of these boats will carry the Mk2/N missile, while at least 6 will carry Patria’s 120mm Nemo automatic mortar turret instead, creating a flexible form of naval fire support that mirrors similar efforts in Finland.

AN/SPQ-9B radar

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Melville, NY recently received a pair of contracts from America and Australia for the AN/SPQ-9B radar system. That radar was the main air defense radar on several American destroyer and cruiser classes, but is now relegated to a secondary role on advanced air defense ships. It provides the capability to detect and track low-flying, high-speed, small radar cross-section anti-ship missile targets in heavy clutter environments.

The AN/SPQ-9 radar is currently installed on CG-47 Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruisers, where this track-while-scan radar can be integrated into the Mk 86 gun fire control system (GFCS) or the Aegis Combat Direction System. It is also the primary radar on the LHA-1 Tarawa class amphibious landing ships. As for the AN/SPQ-9B…

Continue Reading… »

(click to download)

Defense was an issue in the last Australian election. The center-left Labor Party attacked the center-right Liberal Party by citing mismanaged projects, and accusing the Howard government of making poor choices on key defense platforms like the F/A-18F Super Hornet and F-35A Joint Strike fighters. That sniping continued even after Labor won the election, and has been evident in more than a few Defence Ministry releases.

The new government made some program changes, such as canceling the SH-2G Seasprite contract. Yet it has been more notable for the programs it has not changed: problematic upgrades of Australia’s Oliver Hazard Perry frigates were continued, the late purchase of F/A-18F Super Hornets was ratified rather than canceled, and observers waited for the real shoe to drop: the government’s promised 2009 Defence White Paper, which would lay out Australia’s long-term strategic assessments, and procurement plans.

On May 2/09, Australia’s government released “Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030.” DID has reviewed that document, and the reaction to date… including a new ASPI roundup of reactions from around Asia.

• Fast Incoming
• The Highlight Reel
• Additional Readings & Assessments [updated]
  
  Continue Reading… »

Harpoon in flight
(click to view full)

The sub-sonic, wave-skimming *GM-84 Harpoon is the US Navy’s sole anti-shipping missile, with the minor exception of small AGM-119B Penguin missiles and anti-tank Hellfires carried on some H-60 helicopters. The Harpoon has been adapted into several variants, and exported to a wide variety of world navies. Its best known competitor is the French/MBDA *M39/40 Exocet, but recent years have witnessed a growing competitive roster at both the subsonic (Israel’s Gabriel family, Russia’s SS-N-27 Klub family, Saab’s RBS15, Kongsberg’s stealthy NSM, China’s YJ-82/C-802 used recently in Lebanon) and supersonic (Russia’s SS-N-22 Sunburn/Moskit and some SS-N-27 Klub variants, India’s PJ-10 BrahMos derived from Russia’s SS-N-26) levels.

At present, the Harpoon family includes air, sea/land, and submarine-launched versions of the GM-84 missile. Variants such as the land attack SLAM variant and the modern AGM-84K Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) will also be covered in this DID FOCUS Article, which describes the missiles themselves and covers global contracts involving this family since Oct 1/06.

The most recent additions involve the reported cancellation of the US Navy’s Harpoon Block III program, and land target tests for SLAM-ER and Harpoon Block II…

• GM-84 Harpoon Family: The Missiles
• GM-84 Harpoon Family: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources [updated]
  
  Continue Reading… »

HMCS Montreal & sub:
HMCS Windsor
(click to view full)

Launched between 1988-1995, and commissioned between 1992-1996, Canada’s 12 City Class (now Halifax Class) frigates currently form the high end of its naval capabilities. The Canadian Navy has declined drastically from its post-WWII status as the world’s 4th largest navy, and the Halifax Class itself is finding that its open-ocean design is not suited to cope with modern littoral threats and improving anti-ship missiles. Replacement vessels are still many years away, which means that the 4,750t frigates will need to be modernized within the limits of their design if they are to remain effective.

Canada’s government has decided to fund that modernization, much as Australia and New Zealand are modernizing the Halifax Class’ ANZAC Frigate contemporaries. Refits are scheduled to begin with HMCS Halifax in 2010, and that ship is scheduled to re-enter service about 18 months later in 2012. By 2017, all 12 frigates are scheduled to be upgraded as part of a C$ 3.1 billion (about $2.9 billion) program.

This DII Spotlight article explains the scope of the upgrades, notes the current systems, and covers the contracts and developments involved. The latest addition is a contract for Indentification Friend-or-Foe systems, and the opening of a key program facility in Nova Scotia…

• Upgrading The Halifax Class
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

SM-2 salvo
(click to view full)

North Korea’s recent aggressive actions, including abrogation of the 1953 ceasefire, nuclear detonation, and testing of short and long-range missiles, has increased international tensions and directly threatened its southern neighbor. South Korea has been modernizing its defenses for some time now, and a recent request for Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) systems from the United States is a case in point.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced May 26/09 [PDF] South Korea’s official request to buy 46 SM-2 Block IIIA missiles, 35 SM-2 Block IIIB missiles, 3 SM-2 Block IIIB Telemetry Missiles for testing, 84 SM-2 missile containers, and associated test and support equipment, spare and repair parts, training, and other forms of support. The estimated cost is $170 million, and the prime contractor will be Raytheon in Tucson, AZ. The sale would require temporary travel for U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the Republic of Korea for in-country training, as a recurring requirement during the life of the missile systems.

How does this purchase fit into South Korea’s overall defense plans?

Continue Reading… »

Kilo Class cutaway
(click to view full)

Vietnam has reportedly agreed in principle to a deal with Russia for 6 of its diesel-electric Kilo/ Project 636 Class fast attack submarines. The deal’s value is reported to be around $1.8 billion, and the SSKs will be built at Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg. In addition to submarines, reports indicate that the Vietnamese Navy will receive new heavyweight torpedoes and missiles.

Aside from Thyssen’s U209 family of submarines, the Kilo Class are the world’s most widely exported subs. They are known for a level of quietness that is significantly better than many other Russian submarines, and have been produced in the Project 636 and Project 877EKM “Improved Kilo” variants. Countries operating or ordering these submarines include Russia, Algeria, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Poland, and Romania.

There have been rumors that Vietnam owns 2 ex-Yugoslav mini-submarines for use in commando operations, but the Vietnamese People’s Navy doesn’t own any full size submarines that can take on enemy subs and ships. China’s recent display of naval might is only part of the mosaic influencing Vietnam’s decisions in this matter…

Continue Reading… »

NSM test launch
(click to view full)

“Lockheed & Kongsberg Partner to Bring NSM to JSF” covered Kongsberg’s stealthy new Naval Strike Missile (Nytt SjomalsMissil), which continues its development and testing program. NSM has definite market potential as an internal carriage option for nations buying the F-35 Lightning II, but this long-range complement to their popular Penguin short-range anti-ship missile also had a more immediate option closer to home. Norway intends to deploy them as ship-launched missiles for their Skjold Class ground-effect catamarans, and eventually for their new Fridjof Nansen Class AEGIS frigates as well.

The market for anti-ship missiles is a crowded one. Aside from a bevy of Russian subsonic and supersonic offerings, naval buyers can choose Boeing’s BGM-84 Harpoon, China’s YJ-82/C-802 Saccade, MBDA’s Exocet, Otomat, or Marte; RAFAEL of Israel’s Gabriel, Saab’s RBS15, and more. Despite an ongoing shift toward supersonic missiles, Kongsberg chose not to go that route. So, how do they expect to be competitive in a crowded market?

Continue Reading… »

PJ-10 BrahMos
(click to view full)

Back in November 2005, The Hindu newspaper reported that India’s government has given the go-ahead for exporting missiles, and that India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is looking to market several of its products internationally. The DRDO will participate in international expos as part of its marketing strategy, and government officials have claimed interest from African, Gulf and South-East Asian countries. They have also noted, however, that India’s government would be required to approve any foreign sales to specific countries.

The missile systems in question included:

• The canceled Trishul (“trident”) short-range surface-air missile (SAM)
• Akash (“sky”) medium-range SAM
• Nag (“cobra”) vehicle-mounted anti-armor missile; and the
• Indo-Russian PJ-10 BrahMos medium-range supersonic cruise missile, which is primarily designed as an anti-ship weapon but can also perform land attack.

DID describes each of these programs, then adds some analysis that offers insights into these long-running missile programs and their competitive prospects. Updates have also been added, including the first orders for the Akash SAM system, growing orders in India for foreign anti-armor missiles, and allegations of corruption swirling around the Akash and MR-SAM systems…

• The Missiles: IGMP set, and BrahMos
• Program Updates [updated]
• Appendix A: India’s Export Prospects – DID Op/Ed Analysis (Dec 1/05)
• Appendix B: Additional Readings & Sources – Related Reports & News
• Appendix C: Additional Readings & Sources – The Missiles
  
  Continue Reading… »

Begun in 2001, IDEX in the United Arab Emirates has become the Middle East’s biggest defense show. The UAE is a significant buyer in its own right, as illustrated in “UAE Announces Deals at IDEX 2007,” which covered a range of deals for advanced aerial tankers, radios, mortars, mine-resistant vehicles, pistols,fast patrol boats, and more. During IDEX 209, the UAE made headlines again with multi-billion deals for C-17 and C-130J aerial transports, and major deals for new M346 advanced jet trainers and Dash-8 maritime patrol aircraft.

Defpro recently covered a number of IDEX 2009 deals that received less notice. The article below strips out the smallest deals, and adds a number of details and additional background:

Continue Reading… »