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



Campaign Proposal - Divine Waterline

Aye shipmates, a new year, with the first new Campaign idea! Follow the link to read the guidelines for the Divine Waterline Campaign, click on submit, and help to get this campaign approved!
Campaign Proposal


Naval Word of the Day

Continuing on with your Naval education we bring you another installment of MSW’s Navy Word of the Day.
WOD




Army Ships -- The Ghost Fleet

Today’s website is Army Ships -- The Ghost Fleet. This sight chronicles the little know oceanic fleet operated by the US Army in WW2. Enjoy.
Website




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1813 - U.S. Frigate Chesapeake captures British brig Hero.
1815 - HMS Endymion, Tenedos and Pomone capture USS President.
1863 - Navy General Order 4, Emancipation Proclamation issued.
1943 - In the first submarine resupply mission, USS Gudgeon lands 6 men, 2,000 pounds of equipment and supplies on Negros Island, the Philippines.


EADS Defence & Security, DCNS and Rohde & Schwarz Team Wins 240 million euro RIFAN Stage 2 Contract for the French Navy
Source: Joint EADS, DCNS and R&S

EADS Defence & Security, the agent, and its co-contractors DCNS and Rohde & Schwarz, have been notified on December 22 2008, by the DGA procurement branch of the French Ministry of Defence, of Stage 2 of the RIFAN programme to equip the French naval air arm on exercises or on missions with a true intranet for surface ships, submarines and aircraft within the force.

The framework contract, worth 240 million euros, covers the design and deployment of an IP communication system to equip 116 ships and 64 aircraft over a period of five years, and the provision of operational support for an additional five years.

RIFAN stage 2, the IP backbone for the naval air arm, is designed to be incorporated into the master plan of the Navy Information and Combat System. It will ensure broadband information exchange between onboard business applications, will be open to onboard staff information systems and will cover all levels of information sensitivity, from unclassified to NATO classified. This second stage follows on from the RIFAN Operation stage 1 to equip French Navy level one ships.

RIFAN stage 2 will also implement a Network Management Capacity to supervise and manage the complete network of ships and aircraft from sites based on land. This site will also have a global view of security-related incidents and will control the confidentiality, integrity and availability of operational data.

New V/UHF radios supplied by Rohde & Schwarz, already a renowned partner to the French Navy, will offer broadband IP transmission capability between ships, in addition to the renewal of the fixed-frequency and frequency-hopping voice function. “The historical presence of Rohde & Schwarz in many naval forces around the world has culminated in today’s selection for the RIFAN2 programme. We are proud that the excellence of our radio technologies, associated with the acknowledged expertise of our teams, will now be involved in this major French Navy project,” said Jean-Christophe Prunet, Chairman of Rohde & Schwarz France.

Within the framework of this grouping, EADS DS has subcontracted the development of the administration and supervision centre for this critical and highly secured information and communication system to CS Communication et Systèmes, a company with many years of experience with major accounts.

DCNS, a major partner of the French Navy, will provide engineering services, including installation studies for RIFAN2 on surface ships and submarines, and equipment deployment. “This success illustrates the quality of services supplied by DCNS. It reinforces the major role of the company in the field of onboard system integration by demonstrating the expertise of DCNS in this field,” observes Christian Foissey, Director of DCNS Services Division.

EADS Defence & Security contributes its capabilities as a prime contractor of major programmes, and its expertise as a designer of secure telecom networks and information systems for the armed forces. According to Hervé Guillou, CEO of the Defence and Communications Systems Business Unit of EADS Defence & Security, “This new contract reinforces our position in the naval sector, where we are already involved in major programmes, and proves once again the effectiveness of our offering based on the best in Europe for each of our home countries.”


L-3 Awarded $61 Million Contract for Canadian Halifax Class Frigate Upgrade
Source: L-3 Communications

NEW YORK --- L-3 Communications announced today that its MAPPS division has been awarded a $61 million contract (CAD $73 million) to supply its Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) upgrade for the Canadian Navy’s 12 Halifax Class frigates. The IPMS will modernize the frigate’s ship control system and improve the operational effectiveness of the vessels.

“This award reinforces our position as the premier supplier of ship control systems to the Canadian Navy,” said Steve Kantor, president of L-3 Marine and Power Systems Group. “It is one of the largest control system contracts ever awarded – a single contract for 12 large frontline naval ships.”

The L-3 IPMS is based on a proven open-architecture design and features Versa Module Europa-based remote terminal units. The new IPMS incorporates a damage control system and electrical control system. It also offers new advanced functionality with equipment health monitoring, an on-board training system, CCTV integration and an interface with the ship’s new combat management system. Several training simulators will also be delivered to the support facilities of the Canadian Navy.

The Halifax Class frigate (hull designation FFH) is a class of multi-role patrol frigates that have served the Canadian Forces since 1992. HMCS Halifax (FFH 30) was the first of an eventual twelve Canadian-designed and built vessels, which combine traditional anti-submarine capabilities with systems to deal with surface and air threats. In 2007, the Canadian government announced a planned refit of the Halifax Class known as the Halifax Class Modernization Project or alternately as the Frigate Life Extension.

The Halifax Class IPMS program follows on the heels of the selection of L-3’s IPMS in October 2008 for the Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) project by Thales UK for the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense.


Photo of the Day



F/A-18 aircraft assigned to Air Wing 1 at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. perform a flyover during the commissioning ceremony for the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).

Gator