Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.



Feature - JMSDF Icebreaker Shirase AGB-5002

MSW Crew member Rui Matos sends us photos of his build, the JMSDF Icebreaker Shirase AGB-5002.




RSN Conducts Successful Missile Firing
Source: Singapore Ministry of Defence

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) conducted a live-firing of the Barak anti-missile missile in the South China Sea earlier today as part of the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise which the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is conducting with the United States Navy (USN). The missile was fired by the upgraded RSN missile corvette (MCV) RSS Valiant against an air drone target simulating a missile attack on the ship. The target was successfully destroyed.

Commanding Officer RSS Valiant, Lieutenant Colonel Goh Kian Ngiap said that the exercise was valuable to both the RSN and USN. "The CARAT exercise is a great opportunity for both the RSN and USN to interact and exercise with each together. Many good ideas were exchanged, and the bonds of friendship strengthened," said LTC Goh.

In addition, RSN personnel who took part in the exercise found value in working alongside their USN counterparts. Weapon Systems (Control) Operator Military Expert 1 William Kang, who fired the Barak missile said, "This was a wonderful learning experience for me in exercising with personnel from the USN. It was also excellent to see the entire crew's teamwork in action and executing the successful missile hit."

Present at the firing was Minister of State for Defence and Education Lawrence Wong, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and National Development Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong and Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Ng Chee Peng. Similar missile firings have been conducted in previous CARAT exercises. The exercise is presently ongoing and will conclude on 29 Aug 2011.


Delay in Delivery of Arms from Russia
Source: Press Information Bureau India

A contract was signed with Rosoboronexport, Russia in 2006 for acquisition of three Talwar Class follow-on ships and the delivery schedule for these three ships was April 2011, October 2011 and April 2012. Rosoboronexport has intimated that the delivery of the ships would be delayed as follows: 1st Ship - 12 months, 2nd Ship - 11 months and 3rd Ship - 14 months.

Two major cases of shipbuilding projects with Rosoboronexport, Russia namely, Gorshkov and Talwar Class follow-on ships have been delayed.

The induction of the Gorshkov/Vikramaditya was re-scheduled due to the necessity to carry out additional works such as renewal of almost all equipment/systems, hull structures, cabling, and application of long-life paint to afford greater protection to the ship's steel plating and formulation of a detailed scope of harbour/sea trials/aircrafts trials. The delivery date of the ship has been revised to December 2012.

The Russian side has brought out that the delays in the Talwar Class follow-on ships are primarily on account of non-availability of adequate skilled manpower at the shipyard to undertake concurrent construction of these vessels, and the delays in delivery of Russian origin equipment to the shipyard.

Issues relating to supply of defence equipment/platforms from Russia are taken up on a regular basis in various bilateral fora which include High Level Monitoring Committee (HLMC) meeting, Indo-Russian Inter-governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRJGCMTC) meetings and in the Project Review Meetings.




Icebreaker Shirase

Today’s website is Icebreaker Shirase. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1842 - Congress replaces the Board of Navy Commissioners, a group of senior officers who oversaw naval technical affairs, with the five technical bureaus, ancestors of the Systems Commands. One of the 1842 bureaus, the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, continues to serve under its original name.
1943 - Commissioning of USS Harmon (DE 678), first Navy ship named for an African-American Sailor.
1944 - Carrier task group begins three-day attack on Iwo Jima and Bonin Islands.
1962 - Last flight of a Navy airship made at NAS Lakehurst, N.J.


Diorama Idea of the Day



Icebreaker Shirase making its way through frozen waters. To see the original high resolution photo, click here.

Gator