Asian Defence News1

BAE Systems Wins $30M Periscope Contract for Collins Subs

BAE Systems Australia has welcomed an additional two year, AU$30 million contract extension to ongoing sustainment of the Collins Class periscopes.

The original five year contract began in 2015 and encompasses engineering, program management, supply support and highly specialised maintenance services. During this two year extension period, BAE Systems will continue to maintain Search and Attack periscopes and undertake the necessary updates to the periscope systems.

BAE Systems has been maintaining and updating the Collins Class submarine periscopes for more than three decades, developing an important sovereign capability. The company began supporting the Collins Class submarines periscopes in 1988 at the start of the periscope build program.

The company has continued to develop this sovereign capability through the provision of maintenance, repair and update services in two states.

Periscope work is undertaken by 34 specialist employees working in purpose built facilities at Mawson Lakes South Australia and at HMAS Stirling Naval Base, in Western Australia.

The largest update project undertaken during this time was the transition from analogue to digital periscopes which are now also transitioning into service.

BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery Andrew Gresham said:

“Now, more than ever, Defence programs will have an important role in Australia’s post-COVID economic recovery.

“We began supporting the Collins-class submarine periscope systems with an 11-year manufacturing and build program for attack and search periscope systems.

“Some three decades later, we continue to build and grow our experience in maintaining and updating this critical piece of defence equipment. During this time we have also supported the development of new capabilities in our local supply chain.

“Defence projects are high value, create and sustain new industrial capabilities, require leading edge technologies and can run over decades which is why they are so important to our nation’s economy.”

Russian Army - Maneuvering defense of the settlement during the exercise of motorized riflemen of the Western Military District in Mulino

US Army Diver Discusses Underwater Recovery Missions

U.S. military heading to Chitose Air Base, Japan this month for training

The U.S. miliatry will be conducting training at Chitose Air Base, Japan later this month, the Hokkaido Defense Bureau has disclosed.

USCGC Mellon Prepared for Decomissioning in August

US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz confirmed that the USCGC Mellon (WHEC-717) completed it's final mission earlier this month and had returned home in preparation for decommissioning next month in August. The Mellon is one of two remaining Hamilton-class cutters in the US Coast Guard.

It should be remembered that the Vietnam Coast Guard requested 3 Hamilton-class ships from the US after the arms embargo was dropped in 2016. So far the USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722) was transferred to the VCG in 2017 as 𝐂𝐒𝐁-𝟖𝟎𝟐𝟎 while the USCGC Midgett (WHEC-726) has already been decommissioned and is waiting to be recommissioned under the Vietnam Coast Guard. Therefore only one more Hamilton is needed for the Vietnam Coast Guard to fulfill their 3-ship request.

And the decommissioning of the Mellon or the USCGC Douglas Munro (WHEC-724) after it provide the last opportunities to do so.

Check out - Cameroon Air Force C-130 runway excursion incident from inside the aircraft

A Cameroon Air Force C-130 overshot the runway while landing at Maroua-Salak Airport on Aug. 2 and the incident was caught on video from inside the cabin of the cargo plane.

Malaysia Mindef Mulls Delayed Littoral Combat Ships Project

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) is considering three options in relation to the direction of the littoral combat ship (LCS) project, which has been been delayed, said its Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob.

He said that, as at July 31, none of the six LCS ships had been successfully completed by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNSSB).

The overall work progress status of the project was 56.67 per cent compared to the original plan of 85.73 per cent, a delay of 31.1 months (29.06 per cent), he said.

Following that, a memorandum would be presented to the Cabinet after the ministry’s top management made a final review of the documents in the near future, he added.

“The first option is for the project to be continued by appointing Naval Group France as a rescue contractor through a Deed of Assignment with BNSSB using the remaining contract ceiling to complete at least two LCS units.

“As for the second option, the project is continued by BNSSB with the remaining contract ceiling to complete at least two LCS units,” he said while winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's royal address for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

Ismail Sabri said that the third option is the termination of the contract with BNSSB and the ministry starting efforts to save the project.

He said the ministry did not intend to inject additional funds to complete the LCS, instead BNSSB was asked to use the remaining allocation to continue the project.

“The government will not pay the debts acquired by BNSSB as requested by the company, however, the government will implement the payment to obtain the rights and complete the Detailed Design.

“Besides that, the government (will) make a claim for all the blocks and hulls of ships and LCS equipment purchased by BNSSB as the government has paid almost RM3 billion for this purpose,” he said.

He added that the current progress status for LCS 1 is at 59.79 per cent; LCS 2 (48.09 per cent); LCS 3 (43.75 per cent); LCS 4 (36.49 per cent) and LCS 5 (20 per cent) while LCS 6 has yet to start construction.