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



Amphibious Ships Official Keel Laying Ceremony
Source: Australian Department of Defence

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, today announced that the official keel laying of Australia’s first Amphibious Ship (LHD 01) took place overnight at Navantia’s shipbuilding yard in Ferrol, Spain.

“Under Project JP2048 Phase 4A/B the Commonwealth is acquiring two new Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious ships to provide sustainment support for our deployed forces,” said Mr Combet.

BAE Systems Australia Defence is the prime contractor for this $3.3 billion project. The Spanish shipbuilder Navantia is subcontracted to BAE as the design authority and is required to construct and fit out the hulls of two large Amphibious Ships for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

“The project is on schedule with the ceremony for the keel laying of the hull for LHD 01 occurring exactly one year to the day from first steel being cut. I am also advised that the whole of ship design reviews are nearing completion,” said Mr Combet.

“After completion of the hulls for the Amphibious Ships they will be transported to Australia. The superstructures will then be constructed, fitted out and integrated with the hulls at BAE Systems’ Williamstown dockyard.”

“The combat system is to be provided by Saab Systems Australia, which will also integrate the combat management system; and the communications system will be supplied by L-3 Communications.”

The next milestone will be the launch of LHD 01 in Spain in March 2011 and then the arrival of it at Williamstown dockyard in 2012 with LHD 02 arriving in 2014.

“As outlined in the Government’s White Paper, these ships will be able to carry a substantial quantity of equipment, stores and personnel. In terms of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, they will most likely be the best means available to provide assistance in our region,” said Mr Combet.


Greener HMS Ark Royal Sails Again
Source: UK Ministry of Defence

A faster, leaner and greener HMS Ark Royal takes to the seas again tomorrow (Friday) for the first time since February.

The aircraft carrier has just undergone a £12m upgrade in her home port of Portsmouth and is about to embark on two weeks of post-maintenance tests.

She is heading to the Royal Navy’s training areas off the south west of England for marine and weapon engineering trials.

During the upgrade her hull was painted with new ‘intersleek’ paint – allowing her to cut through the seas more quickly - which will cut fuel costs and emissions by nine percent. It will also increase her top speed by two knots to 30 knots.

The work, carried out by BVT Surface Fleet, also included new exhaust systems, an updated IT network and improvements to sewage treatment plants. Her gearboxes, main engines and diesel generators have also been refurbished.

Ark Royal will resume her role as Fleet Flagship in the New Year, taking over from her sister ship HMS Illustrious which took on the honour during Ark Royal’s upgrade. She will also become the UK’s high-readiness ‘Strike Carrier’.

The ship’s Commanding Officer, Captain John Clink, said: “The ship’s company is excited and proud to be taking Ark Royal back to sea to commence our preparations to become the Royal Navy’s Strike Carrier and the UK’s Fleet Flagship.

“I recognise that our seven months in Portsmouth has been hard work but it has ensured that we are ready to start our sea training and be able to practice our war-fighting skills. The ship is now faster, leaner and greener and looking forward to taking her place at the Vanguard of the Fleet.”




HMAS Mildura

Today’s website is HMAS Mildura. Explore the history of this uniquely Australian designed WW2 corvette. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1918 - Naval aviators of Marine Day Squadron 9 make the first raid-in-force for the Northern Bombing Group in World War I, when they bombed a German railroad at Thielt Rivy, Belgium.
1920 - The obsolete battleship Indiana (BB 1) is sunk in Tangier Sound, in the Chesapeake Bay.
1962 - A U.S. reconnaissance plane photographs a Soviet nuclear missile site under construction at San Cristobal, 100 miles west of Havana.


Photo of the Day



The amphibious transport dock ship Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) New York (LPD 21) transits the Mississippi River after departing Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Avondale, La.

Gator