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February 2011
Piracy: "Pirates seize laden supertanker off Oman" & "Pirates set sail for Somalia with hijacked Italian tanker" & "Indian Navy successfully combats pirates" & "28 captured Somali pirates to be tried in Mumbai" & "Somali pirates release hijacked South Korea ship" & "Somali Man Held in Isolation After Alleged Threats to Ship Captain"AFP, 09 February 2011 & Deutsche Welle, 08 February 2011 & Defence Web, 09 February 2011 & Hindustan Times, 08 February 2011 & Asia One News, 09 February 2011 & Wall Street Journal, 02 February 2011 On Wednesday, the US-bound Greek oil tanker Irene SL was captured by pirates, marking the second hijacking of an oil tanker in as many days. Irene, which was carrying more than 270,000 metric tons of oil, was travelling from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to Suez when it was attacked about 220 nautical miles east of the Omani coast. EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) stated that there is currently no established communication with the vessel and that there was no information regarding the condition of the 25 crew onboard. Yesterday, a similar hijacking involving an Italian oil tanker was reported 500 nautical miles east of the island of Socotra. Five pirates equipped with rocket launchers and submachine guns opened fire on MV Savina Caylyn while the ship's captain attempted to fend them off - albeit unsuccessfully - by shooting them with water jets. EU NAVFOR has not had communication with the tanker, which is sailing towards Somalia, since Tuesday. Pirates have expressed a preference for attacking oil tankers as their owners have been willing to pay higher ransoms given the value of the cargo; last November, pirates received a record USD $9.5 million for the release of the South Korean supertanker Samho Dream. While on patrol off the Lakshadweep coast on Sunday, the Indian Coast Guard and Navy freed the Thai fishing trawler Prantalay 11 and her 24 crew. Since Prantalay 11 was captured last April, she had been used as a pirate mother ship to launch attacks in the area. Prantalay 11's release follows last week's joint operation by India's maritime forces that resulted in the release of her sister ship, Prantalay 14; the vessel was damaged and subsequently sank after an exchange of fire, which saw the release of 20 crew and the capture of 15 pirates. During the latest operation, 28 Somali pirates were arrested and taken to Mumbai, where they will be tried. Elsewhere, the South Korean fishing vessel Keummi 305 was released on Wednesday, four months after being hijacked off the Kenyan island of Lamu. The South Korean Foreign Ministry said that the 241-ton trawler and her 43 crew are now sailing back to international waters after being held in a pirate stronghold in northern Somalia. Details regarding Keummi's release were not made available, though it has been reported that the ship's captain had filed for bankruptcy since the hijacking took place, complicating ransom negotiations. In other piracy news, Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, a Somali national sentenced in US court to 27 to 33 years for piracy, has spent more than a year in solitary confinement after government officials allege that he ordered the killing of a kidnapped ship captain from jail. His lawyers deny the charges, but admit that Muse has discussed piracy matters over the phone. Muse was the sole survivor of a 2009 Navy SEAL operation to free Captain Richard Phillips aboard the Maersk Alabama, during which three pirates were killed. The incident further proves the ever-improving sophistication of pirate organizations. Canada / United States: "CFB Esquimalt ships to play hide and seek with U.S. submarines"Victoria News, 02 February 2011 Three Canadian ships from Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt will work with the US Navy (USN) on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises off the coast of Hawaii from February 14-24th. The frigates HMCS Vancouver and Winnipeg, as well as the supply ship HMCS Protecteur, will work to protect shipping while hunting and evading submarines. Two Sea King helicopters, one on board each frigate, as well as a CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft will also be a part of the Canadian task group. The exercise will provide experience for US submarine commanders and Canadian ASW specialists, as well as determine how effective the Canadian surface fleet is at detecting, classifying, tracking, and either engaging or evading submarines. The USN contingent will include Los Angeles-class submarines and a number of destroyers. United States: "Budget Delay Hurts USN Shipbuilding, Maintenance"Defense News, 06 February 2011 The inability of Congress to pass a number of DoD budget bills has left the Pentagon operating under a Continuous Resolution (CR), meaning that the USN is tied to a number of 2010 budget commitments that leave "dollars in the wrong place," according to one senior Navy official. The CR has also left the Navy in a state of uncertainty as to when new funds will come in, and could leave the USN short approximately USD $4.6 billion. If the CR continues, the navy is planning to do a number of unwanted cutbacks, including hiring freezes, widespread cancellation of ship overhauls, deferred aircraft maintenance and a 25 percent reduction in personnel travel. One of the main problems could be shortfalls in shipbuilding contracts, as Congress authorizes money for specific ship projects rather than shipbuilding as a whole. For example, the 2010 budget gave $1.7b for a new amphibious ship. In 2011, the annual amount of $1.7b is renewed but for amphibious ships only. Even though the USN does not need an amphibious ship in 2011, it cannot move the money into different accounts where required, such as for the construction of a second Virginia-class submarine. The halt in shipbuilding orders is also expected to affect over 1,300 private sector jobs if Congress does not approve emergency funding. United States: "Bat-winged drone bomber in test flight: US Navy"AFP, 06 February 2011 The Navy's prototype X-47B carrier-based Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) successfully performed its first test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California last Friday, staying aloft for 29 minutes and reaching 5,000 feet. The fighter-sized X-47B is being developed by Northrop Grumman as part of a USD $636 million contract to develop drones that can evade radar (in the X-47B's case, due in part to its tailless design) and fly faster than the propeller-driven Predator and Reaper drones being used by the US in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As well, the UCAVs are being made sturdier to withstand carrier deck launchings and landings, operate in a high electromagnetic signal environment, and not corrode in salt water air. The X-47B is expected to have a longer range than existing F/A-18s, permitting carrier battle groups to operate further from shore but still present a threat, a must as China's anti-ship ballistic missile could potentially deny access to near-shore operations to American carriers. The UCAV is expected to begin carrier tests in 2013 after testing at Edwards and the Patuxent River Naval Station in Maryland, with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Roughead saying he wants UCAVs operational by 2018. United States: "Air Force [sic] orders fifth MUOS satellite"UPI, 08 February 2011 The Navy is purchasing a fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite from Lockheed Martin for USD $339 million to improve its and American allies' communications. The MUOS satellites will replace the current Ultra High Frequency Follow-On system, and promises to deliver commercial cell phone-like capabilities, such as multimedia or a mix of voice and data service, to the military worldwide. The first MUOS satellite is currently undergoing space environment tests and is set to be launched in the middle of this year, with a second to be sent into orbit in 2012. United Kingdom: "Jinxed Navy submarine that ran aground returns to port with sewage system failure"Daily Mail, 06 February 2011 The Royal Navy's (RN) trouble-prone HMS Astute, the lead ship of the new Astute-class of SSNs, was forced to return to port again this week after the boat suffered failures to both its weapons support and sewage systems. The USD $2 billion vessel - which was delivered four years late and over budget - was forced to return to its home port at Faslane while conducting sea trials; reports indicate that the sewage system failure meant that the toilets onboard did not work for any of Astute's 90-member crew. The boat, which ran aground during earlier sea trials and later collided with the tug that freed her, will remain in port for at least six weeks while the systems are repaired. United Kingdom / Caribbean: "Navy forced to drop warship patrols in Caribbean through lack of funds"Guardian, 07 February 2011 In the face of massive defence cuts, the Royal Navy will reportedly cease its patrols in the Caribbean, marking the first time that defence chiefs have had to abandon an existing overseas mission since the unveiling of last year's strategic defence and security review. The Navy's Caribbean patrol, which was was originally established to guard British dependencies in the West Indies, has become an integral part of joint counter-narcotic operations and disaster relief work in the region in recent years. According to the Ministry of Defence, both roles previously filled by the Navy will be carried out by "a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, enhanced with a naval party and helicopter during the core hurricane season."
United Kingdom / Turkey: "HMS Invincible sold to Turkish ship recyclers"BBC News, 08 February 2011 The Royal Navy's decommissioned aircraft carrier HMS Invincible has been sold to a Turkish ship recycling firm, ending speculation as to whether the vessel would be sold to a Chinese businessman. Leyal Ship Recycling, based near Izmir, was chosen because of its "good financial return for the taxpayer" and because the company can dismantle the ship in an environmentally friendly way, according to the MoD. Lam Kin-bong, a Chinese businessman in the UK, had sought to purchase the ship and turn it into a floating international school in China, however that offer was rebuffed, with analysts saying it is likely the deal was scuttled partly over concerns that China could attempt to reverse engineer or refit the carrier for operational use. Greece / Turkey: "Turkish ship in Greek waters causes political waves"Ekathimerini, 09 February 2011 According to local media, a Turkish naval ship entered Greek waters unannounced on Tuesday night. The Turkish B-class corvette Bodrum reportedly approached the coast of the Aegean island of Paros for no apparent reason and was shadowed by a Hellenic Navy vessel until it left the area. The incident sparked a tense exchange in the Greek parliament, as several Turkish ships have transited Greek waters unannounced in recent months and the opposition has criticized the government's policy towards neighbouring Turkey. According to Ankara, the Greek-Turkish maritime border was never properly defined following the Balkan Wars, and relations have been further complicated since the discovery of oil in the Aegean Sea in the 1970s. Egypt: "Economists downplay canal worries" & "Unrest in Egypt and Suez Canal Could Have Major Economic Impact" & "Ships unable to get navy escorts from Egypt's Suez port"Houston Chronicle, 04 February 2011 & United Business Media, 09 February 2011 & Defence Web, 01 February 2011 The protests in Egypt have caused slight inconveniences for ships transiting the Suez Canal, but economists are downplaying a looming crisis at one of the most important ship crossings in the world. Although ships transiting the Canal have reported no delays, those stopping at the port have been slowed by a lack of customs and security officials and a workers strike by port personnel. The largest problem facing ships in the area is that they cannot acquire Egyptian military escorts while travelling through the pirate-prone Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Ships have begun resupplying, organizing crew changes and acquiring military escorts in nearby countries such as the Turkey and the UAE, further reducing any delays. A few economists have rung alarm bells about the possible closure of the Suez to US-bound oil if an anti-American government takes control of Egypt, causing oil prices to spike and forcing many ships to navigate around the Cape of Good Hope. However, the vast majority of analysts suggest that the worry is misplaced, as the uninterrupted operation of the Canal is very important to the Egyptian economy. Even if the Canal is closed, commodity experts believe that European and American producers would step up supply fill the void rather than face delays from a longer journey around the Cape. India: "Indian Navy to buy four more P-8Is aircraft"Economic Times, 03 February 2011 New Delhi has exercised its option to purchase four additional long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) from Boeing. The deal, valued at between USD $1 and 1.5 billion, will see the Navy (IN) acquire four more P-8I Poseidon MPAs beyond the eight it had originally signed on for. The addition of four further Poseidons will significantly enhance the IN's surveillance and reconnaissance abilities, and speaks to India's desire to maintain its position as the Indian Ocean's largest naval power, the USN notwithstanding. India: "Eurofighter reveals offer to produce navalised Typhoon" & "Boeing Unveils New Hornet Options at Aero India"Flight Global, 09 February 2011 & Defense News, 08 February 2011 Eurofighter, the consortium that builds the Typhoon fighter jet, displayed the first-ever navalized version of the jet this week at Aero India, the country's largest aerospace exposition. The Typhoon is vying with several other models for India's coveted Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, which will see New Delhi purchase 126 new fourth-generation fighters for over USD $10 billion. The navalized Typhoon showed new, stronger landing gear, an arrestor hook, and thrust-vectoring nozzles for its engines to allow the jet to approach aircraft carriers at lower speeds. At the Eurofighter booth, a model displayed the navalized Typhoon taking off from a carrier that looked similar to INS Vikramaditya, the carrier New Delhi purchased from Moscow that is expected to be ready in mid-2012. Boeing also showed an improved version of its F/A-18 Super Hornet at the show, which featured a conformal weapons pod, new "11-by-19 inch large area display with integrated intuitive graphics", and new engines that will increase speed and range. There is still no word on when a winner will be declared in the MMRCA competition. Malaysia: "Malaysia to Build Six Patrol Vessels"Naval Technology, 08 February 2011 Defence Minister Hamidi has announced that Kuala Lumpur has allocated USD $196.2 million to build six Second Generation Patrol Vessels (SGPV), with construction to begin next year at Boustead Naval Shipyard. The SGPVs will be a larger and more heavily armed follow-on to the six Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels/corvettes built in the early 2000s, with specifications calling for a length of 99.5m and a displacement of 2,200 tons. Several foreign firms, including BAE, DCNS, Navantia and ThyssenKrupp, have offered their existing designs, with the first ship to be built in the home country and the remainder in Malaysia; the issue is currently being reviewed, as Kuala Lumpur has identified the Boustead shipyard as an area to be prioritized for development. The SGPV programme is a high priority for the Navy given the cancellation of a second batch of Leiku-class frigates in August 2009, with the SGPVs to be the primary means of defending Malaysia's South China Sea claims.
South Korea: "S. Korea To Boost Marine Force, Islands' Defenses" & "S. Korea to Deploy Cheon Ryong Shipborne Cruise Missile in West Sea"Defense News, 08 February 2011 & Arirang TV, 08 February 2011 The Ministry of National Defence said this week that it is looking to boost its marine forces on five islands near the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL) following the attack on Yeonpyeong Island. The plan would involve moving 2,000 troops to Seoul's coastal defence command on the islands, thus bolstering its forces there to 12,000. Other plans to increase South Korea's military presence on the islands includes the deployment of 1,500km-range ship-to-surface Cheon Ryong missiles, K-9 self-propelled howitzers, 130mm multiple rocket launchers, Israeli-made Spike missiles, and a Swedish-designed radar system that is better able to locate enemy artillery. Analysts say the planned increase in firepower also indicates that Seoul is moving from a defensive posture to one better able to retaliate against North Korean aggression. Australia: "Nuclear Subs Buy Floated" & "Nuclear or not, we'll need prefab subs"Defense Aerospace, 08 February 2011 & The Australian, 09 February 2011 The Australian defence think-tank Kokoda Foundation issued a report last week that argues that Canberra should strongly consider purchasing American-made nuclear attack submarines (SSN) to fulfill the 2009 defence white paper's call for 12 new submarines for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The report's author, Ross Babbage, says that buying 10 Virginia-class SSNs would cost the Australian government roughly USD $28 billion, whereas designing and building 12 conventional subs (SSK) in Australia would cost as much as $36b, with no guarantees that the boats would be ready for 2020 when the RAN's Collins-class subs are scheduled to be retired. Babbage said that in order to stay apace of Chinese naval modernization, Canberra should look to buy the SSNs from "hot" production lines in the US and base them in Australia along with US nuclear submarines, allowing the RAN's nuclear sub fleet to be serviced by experienced US nuclear submarine technicians. A final decision has yet to be made regarding what type of sub the RAN will pursue, but experts say the nuclear option is tempting, as reduced maintenance costs and a longer operational range would be extremely valuable to Australia. Furthermore, analysts warn that Australia may not have the know-how and manpower to design and build a brand new SSK, meaning the 2020 timeline would be nearly impossible to achieve if Canberra sticks with SSKs.
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World Naval Briefposted Feb 12, 2011 2:45 PM by Bob McIlwaine |