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HMS Belfast

Today’s website is the HMS Belfast. This webpage chronicles the history of World War II veteran. Enjoy.
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This Day in U.S. Naval History

1945 - USS Batfish (SS 310) sinks its second Japanese submarine within three days.
1947 - USS Cusk (SS 348) sets a a milestone, launching the first guided-missile (Loon) from a submarine.
1950 - The U.S. naval forces operating in the Mediterranean Sea since 1946 are officially designated the 6th Fleet.
1976 - Capt. Fran McKee becomes the Navy's first woman line officer selected for promotion to the rank of rear admiral.


Northrop Grumman Completes Important Shipbuilding Milestone with Successful Makin Island (LHD Builder's Sea Trials
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp

PASCAGOULA, Miss. --- The Northrop Grumman Corporation-built amphibious assault ship Makin Island (LHD returned from successful three-day builder's sea trials held in the Gulf of Mexico this week. The ship is the eighth USS Wasp (LHD 1)-class amphibious assault ship being built by the company at its Gulf Coast facilities in Pascagoula, Miss.

“We worked collaboratively with the Navy to meet our program commitments, and complete this significant milestone,'' said Irwin F. Edenzon, sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast. “Our shipbuilders did an outstanding job overcoming some challenges in building the nation's most sophisticated LHD to-date. We are confident the Gulf Coast team will continue the steady progress made on LHD 8, and we're on our way to a second quarter 2009 delivery.''

During builder's trials, Makin Island performed all required sea trial evolutions during the three days, including the operational achievement of the first gas turbine/electric-powered propulsion system ever used on large deck amphibious assault ships. The gas turbine engines and electric drive will provide significant ship life-cycle savings in manpower and maintenance costs over previous ships.

“The Navy and industry team overcame many challenges in getting to this trial,'' said U.S. Navy Capt. Jeffery Riedel, program manager of Amphibious Warfare Programs for PEO Ships. “The ship performed very well. This was the first time an LHD obtained full power on both Gas Turbines and on its electric drive. I look forward to acceptance trials and delivering Makin Island to the fleet.''

The Gulf Coast shipbuilding team met several other milestones paving the way for builder's sea trials including the resolution of critical electrical cabling installation issues and a significant integrated propulsion system testing program.

The Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast test and trials team will join U.S. Navy personnel at-sea for Makin Island acceptance trials.

The Makin Island is 844 feet long and 106 feet wide and weighs 42,800 tons. Its 70,000 horsepower hybrid propulsion system will drive it to speeds in excess of 20 knots. As a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship, it is designed to transport and land a Marine Expeditionary Unit, a force of almost 2,000 Marines, ashore by helicopter, landing craft and amphibious assault vehicle. It will also have secondary missions of sea control and power projection by helicopter and fixed-wing vertical short take-off and landing aircraft; command and control; and mission support, including a hospital with six operating rooms.

Makin Island is scheduled for commissioning at her San Diego homeport in October 2009.


Sea Viper Shows Its Fangs
Source: UK Ministry of Defence

The new Sea Viper air defence missile system demonstrated its ability to protect air, land and sea forces during a second, successful test firing.

The missile system was successfully test-fired from the 12,000 tonne trials barge Longbow, near the Ile du Levant off the French coast.

The Longbow barge has a full replica of the air defence equipment the new Type 45 destroyers will carry, including long-range and missile directing radars, a combat control centre and missiles in their vertical launcher silos.

Sea Viper is a highly sophisticated system that has been designed to allow the new Type 45 Destroyer to protect forces, both at sea and over land, against attack by enemy aircraft, as well as defending the fleet against anti-ship missiles approaching from any direction and at supersonic speeds.

MOD Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Medium Range Air Defence Weapons Team Leader, David Emly, said:

"This test was much more difficult with the target simulating a low-level anti-ship missile at close range and so I am very pleased with the result as it demonstrates that the Type 45 Destroyer's powerful Anti-Air Warfare capability is on track to be delivered in 2010."

Integral to the Sea Viper system is the Sampson Multi Function Radar which tracks targets and directs missiles towards them. This element is a bespoke design developed by BAE Systems to meet the Royal Navy's very specific requirements.

This latest success comes hot on the heels of the recent arrival of the first Type 45 destroyer, HMS Daring, into her home port of Portsmouth for the first time in January. Integrating the Sea Viper system is the main focus of the ship's remaining trials before she is declared ready for service.


BACKGROUND NOTES:
1. Sea Viper came into being on 28 January when Vice Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, Chief of Material Fleet, formally announced the name selected by the Royal Navy for its Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS).

2. Sea Viper is a maritime area air defence system composed of the Sampson radar, a Combat Management System, long range radar, the Sylver missile launching system and Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles.

3. The Aster missiles are capable of speeds in excess of mach four and are highly agile, using an innovative system called 'Pif Paf'. This combines conventional aerodynamic control with a novel lateral thrust system. The trial comprised the firing of a single Aster 15 missile launched against a Mirach target simulating a low level attack from an anti-ship missile.

4. The first Type 45 Destroyer HMS Daring was handed over to the MOD on 10 December 2008. She sailed into her home port of Portsmouth for the first time on 28 January 2009. Final MOD controlled sea-trials and integration activity is now underway prior to her entering service with the Royal Navy in 2010.




Future of Joint Force Harrier
Source: U.K. Ministry of Defence

An article in the Daily Telegraph says that the relationship between the First Sea Lord, Sir Jonathon Band, and the Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Glenn Torpy, has become "poisonous" due to a disagreement over the Harrier Jump Jet aircraft which are run jointly by the two Services.


The article claims that Air Chief Marshal Torpy has suggested the MOD could save £1bn by closing the Joint Force Harrier and this would signal the end of the Fleet Air Arm.

During any planning round a number of options are considered to ensure our spending plans are matching our priorities and delivering value for money. But we do not provide a running commentary on this process. At this stage no decisions have been made.

The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Air Staff are committed to working together for the benefit of the Armed Forces and will continue to do so in the future.


Photo of the Day



HMS Howe in Suez Canal, 1944.

Gator