Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Feature - Building the DKM Graf Spee
MSW Crew-member Leslie G Rogers (lesrogers) give us a quick overview of his recent build of Academy’s 1/350 DKM Graf Spee in this "On Display" build feature.
Feature - HMS King George V
MSW Crew-member Louis Carabott [loucar] shares with us one of his first ship builds, Tamiya’s 1/350 scale HMS King George V in this "On Display" build feature.
DSIT Solutions Successfully Delivers to Israeli Navy the First Stage of the Dolphin Submarine Tactical Trainer Project
Source: DSIT Solutions Ltd.
GIVAT SHMUEL, Israel --- DSIT Solutions Ltd., a subsidiary of Acorn Energy Inc., announced today the successful completion and delivery of Stage I (out of two stages) of the Dolphin Submarine Tactical Trainer project for the Israeli Navy. The project, which was awarded to DSIT in June, 2007, following an international tender, called for the simulation of all sonar and weapons systems on board the submarine. The simulator allows the Dolphin tactical team of officers and operators to practice on shore in an environment that duplicates that of an actual submarine at sea.
Isreal’s Dolphin class SSK
"Based on this successful project and the valuable assets, knowledge and experience it has afforded us, we plan to market similar systems, as well as derivatives of simulators, to fleets around the world," said Dan Ben-Dov, DSIT's VP Sales and Marketing. "Our history of successful projects with the Israeli Navy is continuing with this delivery of the first stage of the Dolphin submarine trainer. This combat simulator joins a growing family of advanced sonar and acoustic projects that DSIT has completed for the Navy including the supply of a mobile acoustic range, sonar simulators, the Hull Mounted Sonar (HMS) system for the Israeli Navy's Sa'ar 5 missile corvettes, and more."
Benny Sela, DSIT's CEO, commented on those involved in the project, "This project represents state of the art sonar and acoustic simulation and training technology; and we are very proud of our excellent development team. They have worked hard and well to finalize this important operational stage of the project to the complete satisfaction of the Israeli Navy. The team's accomplishment signifies the very high level of technological knowledge and experience that have been invested, and we are gratified by the warm reception that this phase of the project has received from the customer. DSIT is in a unique position to supply additional navies with highly advanced submarine simulators at very affordable prices."
Work on the final Dolphin Project stage is well underway and expected to reach completion in 10 months. This final phase will bring the submarine tactical trainer to a state of full representation of the entire spectrum of submarine weapon systems, sensors, and C&C systems, as they are on the actual Dolphin submarines.
DSIT develops sonar and acoustic solutions and acts as a system integrator for advanced Security and Safety Command and Control systems. The Company's offerings are designed to provide the latest in technology and its intelligent application for the energy, commercial, defense and homeland security markets.
Acorn Energy, Inc. is a publicly traded holding company focused on improving the efficiency and environmental impact of the energy infrastructure, fossil fuel and nuclear industries.
Sea Viper Trials Continuing
Source: UK Ministry of Defence
The Daily Mail has published a report claiming that HMS Dauntless's 'main armament doesn't work' and that 'the so-called Sea Viper missile system... is proving to be more of a sea sloth'.
The Royal Navy's Daring Class Type 45 destroyers will have the most capable air defence system in the world, of which Sea Viper, the missile, is an important part.
The claims that the missiles don't work are incorrect.
The Sea Viper system trials are ongoing with the intention that the missile will be ready to meet the Type 45s' first operational deployments from 2011. As the destroyers enter service they, along with Sea Viper, undergo a rigorous trials programme to ensure that all systems meet their design specification before the ships deploy on operations.
In addition to its prime role as an air defence destroyer to protect UK national, alliance and coalition forces against enemy aircraft and missiles, the Type 45s are immensely versatile in terms of their employment. They will be able to act as a base platform for a deployable headquarters from which to command operations. They have the capacity to embark up to 60 troops (over and above their own complement) and their equipment, and support them with a modern medical facility that can deliver surgical capability.
Type 45s also have a large flight deck that can accommodate helicopters up to and including the size of a Chinook. The ships can also take up to 700 people if necessary to support a civilian evacuation from war zones or natural disasters.
EADS Defence & Security Protects New Australian Amphibious Ships
Source: EADS
EADS Defence & Security (DS) provides the new "Canberra" class amphibious ships of the Royal Australian Navy with the latest technology identification systems in order to enhance flight safety and situation awareness.
Defence Electronics (DE), an integrated activity of DS, has been awarded a contract by BAE Systems to deliver two MSSR 2000 I IFF (= Identification Friend or Foe) systems for the installation onboard LHD1 and LHD2 (LHD = Landing Helicopter Dock) by 2015. Their integration into the Combat Management System is done by SAAB.
IFF systems, so-called secondary surveillance radars (SSR), precisely collect data such as origin, course, speed etc. of individual aircraft by automatically sending interrogation signals which are answered by so-called transponders on-board the incoming aircraft. Thus, the IFF systems ensure reliable identification of incoming aircraft substantially reducing the risk of accidentally attacks on friendly forces. This data exchange in the military field is based upon encrypted signals which cannot be analyzed or jammed by hostile forces.
"Providing latest technology IFF systems like MSSR 2000 I increases situational awareness for allied forces" explained Bernd Wenzler, CEO of Defence Electronics “and therefore increases mission success and security for airborne and ground forces.”
Defence Electronics has delivered many IFF systems to several NATO nations for ground and naval applications. For example, the MSSR 2000 I interrogator is operated by the naval forces of Germany, France, Norway and Finland for the military friend-or-foe identification (IFF). Furthermore, DS is also active in the field of civil Air Traffic Control. DE’s identification systems are used for air traffic control in such countries as Portugal and the Philippines.
Northrop Grumman's Unmanned Fire Scout Completes Successful Maritime Sensors Demonstration
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp
SAN DIEGO --- Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully completed maritime sensor demonstrations using a company-owned MQ-8B Fire Scout tactical Vertical Unmanned Aircraft System (VUAS). Fire Scout was equipped with the Telephonics' radar and FLIR Electro Optical Infrared system, and highlighted the versatility of the unmanned helicopter's modular payload architecture and its flexibility in integrating off-the-shelf payloads.
The demonstration was performed under a contract awarded in September by ABS Group, a Systems Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) contractor for the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center. The test took take place during the week of October 19 in the Chesapeake Bay conducted from the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River, Md., Webster Outlying Field.
Following the maritime sensor demonstration, the Coast Guard participated in a multiple day virtual exercise at the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Development Center in Rancho Bernardo, Calif. The exercise took place in the company's simulation Cyber Warfare Integration Node (CWIN). The simulation operated in a Coast Guard configuration and generated counter narcotics operations from the Coast Guard's National Security Cutter.
"We understand the importance of providing the best design, development and production of unmanned systems. An important part of this service is to provide the tools to define and develop new concepts of operations that illustrate how we can successfully integrate both manned and unmanned systems," said Duke Dufresne, sector vice president and general manager of the Strike and Surveillance Systems Division for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector.
Deutschland Class Warships
Today’s website is Deutschland Class Warships.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1775 - Congress commissions the first Naval officers: Esek Hopkins, commander in chief of the fleet, Capts. Dudley Saltonstall, Abraham Whipple, Nicolas Biddle and John Hopkins. Lieutenants appointed included John Paul Jones.
1841 - USS Mississippi, the first U.S. ocean-going side-wheel steam warship, is commissioned in Philadelphia.
1942 - Pharmacist's Mate 1st Class Thomas A. Moore performs an appendectomy on Fireman 2nd Class George M. Platter aboard USS Silversides (SS 236). This feat was recreated in the movie “Destination Tokyo.”
1942 - Sue Dauser takes the oath of office as Superintendant of the Navy Nurse Corps, becoming the first woman with the relative rank of captain in U.S. Navy. She was promoted to the rank of captain on Feb. 26, 1944.
1944 - The first two African-American Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service officers, Harriet Ida Pickens and Frances F. Wills, are commissioned.
1960 - USS Valley Forge (CV 45) helicopters rescue 27 men from oiler SS Pine Ridge. Pine Ridge was breaking up in heavy seas off of Cape Hatteras.
Photo of the Day
This 150 mm (5.9-inch) gun recovered from the German warship Admiral Graf Spee is today trained on the River Plate in Uruguay, the scene of the ship's demise in December 1939.
Gator
