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



Review - 1/35 RN Sailor with Great Coat
MSW crewmember Alan McNeilly (ALANL) shares his thoughts on another Friendship Models RN Sailor w/ Great Coat in 1/35 scale.
Review




National Museum of the Navy

Today’s website is the National Museum of the Navy. The worldwide unique collection of the national museum of the Navy, evokes the maritime history of France and the history of those men who travelled through the seas. Enjoy.
Website




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1918 - USS Stewart (DD 13) destroys German submarine off France.
1934 - In the first Navy movement through the Panama Canal, more than 100 ships transited.
1945 - In only U.S. use of guided missiles in World War II, two BAT missiles release at Balikpapan, Borneo.
1956 - Project Vanguard, earth satellite launching program, assigned to Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air).


Navy Welcomes New Vessels
Source: New Zealand Defence Forces

Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral David Ledson says the upcoming delivery of the four new Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs) is an important and significant step for the Navy, the New Zealand Defence Force, and the whole country.

The Minister of Defence announced earlier today that the four ships, ROTOITI, HAWERA, PUKAKI and TAUPO are soon to be delivered, beginning with ROTOITI, which will be officially handed over to the Navy on Friday 17th April in Whangarei, before sailing to Devonport Naval Base on Friday 24th April.

The ship will be affiliated to the port of Napier and the Hawke's Bay region, reflecting the special relationship with the Navy that stretches back to the 1931 earthquake.

“The delivery of these ships reflects a lot of hard work by the New Zealand Defence Force, in particular the Navy, and the Ministry of Defence,” Rear Admiral Ledson said.

“The IPVs will be very capable ships and they will provide increased opportunities for our Sailors, both in the Regular Force and Naval Volunteer Reserve Forces, to have new and exciting challenges and experiences. Importantly, too, they will enable the Navy to make a wider contribution both to New Zealand in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and further a field, particularly in the South Pacific.“ Rear Admiral Ledson said.

“Along with the new Offshore Patrol Vessels and the Air Force’s P3 Orion Maritime Surveillance Aircraft, they will provide a ‘step up’ in the Defence Force’s ability to work in close partnership with government agencies such as Department of Conservation, Ministry of Fisheries, Police, Customs and the Ministry of Foreign affairs and Trade to address New Zealand’s security challenges.”

"We're grateful to the contractor, BAE, for their contribution to the significant effort that has gone in to securing the delivery of these impressive new ships. Today is a very exciting day for the Navy,” Rear Admiral Ledson said.

Background information on Project Protector IPVs

The Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems have agreed a formal delivery schedule for the Navy’s new Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs).

The ships are ROTOITI, HAWEA, PUKAKI and TAUPO. Prior to departure from Whangarei, they will be commissioned into naval service.

The ships are built to a modified Philippine Coast Guard “San Juan class” design. The Philippines Coast Guard currently operate 4 of this class and have been doing so since 2000.

The first IPV, ROTOITI, is planned to be delivered to Devonport Naval Base on 24th April, with the remaining three ships being delivered over the following six weeks.
The timetable for formal handover to the Navy and ceremonial commissioning of the new ships will be advised in due course.

The Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) are complete and have undergone sea trials, but the contractor has not yet offered them for delivery as there are still some issues to be resolved.

Narrative Ship Data

The IPVs are versatile vessels capable of multi-agency operations in support of national security tasks.

At 55 metres long and with a contracted 3000-nautical mile range (although the sea trials show that the range is likely to be in the region of 7000nm which is double the contracted requirement), they will contribute significantly to the patrolling of New Zealand’s 15,000km coastline, and our Exclusive Economic Zone out to 200 nautical miles. The primary role of the IPVs will be patrol and response to maritime security incidents within the inshore zone around New Zealand.

In addition to patrolling, an IPV’s tasks will include surveillance, response and boarding operations, and search and rescue. Secondary roles for the IPVs will be in New Zealand disaster relief and defence aid to the civil community.

The IPVs will have a complement of 20 naval personnel and four Government agency officers. They also have the capacity to host 12 additional personnel onboard for general naval training or other duties.

Additional Information

Compared with the Inshore Patrol Craft (1990s) and the Lake Class Patrol Boats (mid-70s to late 80s) the IPVs are like comparing a Ferrari with a Toyota Hilux. The IPVs are much faster (over the double the speed of the IPC) and highly manoeuvrable. With active fin stabilisers, they provide a comfortable ride, they are far more sophisticated (modern off the shelf equipment and automated systems including unmanned machinery spaces) and significantly more capable (long range, modern communications and surveillance systems) and they look smart!

The introduction of the IPVs will be an exciting time for the Royal New Zealand Navy. There would be many senior officers watching the young Commanding Officers with envy as the IPVs are significantly better than their predecessors.

The Navy has never had anything as capable and sophisticated as these ships which are specifically designed to undertake a range of tasks for several Government agencies including Customs, Ministry of Fisheries, DoC, Police, MFAT, NZDF and Maritime New Zealand.

Their introduction will enhance Navy's recruitment and retention as these ships frequent ports around the NZ coast.


Northrop Grumman Wins Contracts to Supply Integrated Bridge Systems for New Brazil Navy Patrol Boats
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation today announced that its Sperry Marine business unit has been awarded contracts to supply state-of-the-art navigation systems for two new 500-ton patrol boats for the Brazil navy.

Sperry Marine will supply a complete integrated bridge system based on its new-generation VisionMaster FT navigation technology, tailored to meet the unique space constraints and operational requirements of these coastal patrol boats. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The system includes Sperry Marine's electronic chart display and information system, gyrocompass, echo-sounder, speed log, navigation radars, steering controls, steering gear, mission data recorder and other sensors and subsystems. The Ethernet-based VisionMaster FT network processes data from all these systems into a completely integrated solution for route planning, navigation and piloting.

The two NAPA 500-class patrol boats are being constructed at the Industria Naval do Ceara SA (INACE) shipyard in Fortaleza and are scheduled for delivery in 2009. Four additional ships of the same class have been approved. The Brazil navy has plans to order a total of eight such vessels in 2009.

“We are very proud to be the selected supplier of navigation systems for these new patrol boats, building on our more than 30-year relationship with the Brazil navy,'' said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine. “We are also currently under multi-phase contracts to upgrade the ship inertial navigation systems and navigation radars across the Brazil navy fleet.''

DaCunha noted that similar bridge systems are also being installed on offshore patrol vessels for the Chile and Mexico navies.


Photo of the Day



Dolphins jump the wake in front of the Military Sealift Command fast-combat support ship USNS Rainer (T-AOE 7) during an ammunition onload with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

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