Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Subject-Site Content
MSW managing editor Mark R. Smith (Gunny) gives us an opportunity to participate in making Model Shipwrights a fantastic site with his State of the Site address.
India will call foreigners to build stealth corvettes
Source: Indian Navy
Indian Navy intends to issue a tender on construction stealth ASW corvettes under project 28 by the end of 2009, writes The Business Standard. Foreign companies will participate in the tender which winner is to provide technology of composite hull to Indian shipbuilding company GRSE.
It is expected that tenderers will be Swedish shipyard Kockums, Greek Intermarine and South Korean Kangnam Corporation. Those companies will receive appropriate letters from Indian Navy in the nearest future. According to preliminary information, Kockums is considered a tender's favorite as this company is engaged in construction of stealth corvettes Visby.
Displacement of Visby-class corvettes makes 650 tonnes; length is 72.6 meters; beam is 10.4 meters; operating range is 2,300 miles; maximum speed is 35 knots. Visby corvettes are armed with one multipurpose 57-mm gun, eight RBS-15 Mk2 missiles and depth charge launchers. The ship has a heliport for one helicopter.
According to preliminary information, displacement of Indian ASW corvettes will make 2,500 tonnes. Composite materials are applicable only for the third and further ships as the first corvette is 90% completed and the second is ready on 80%. The cost of four corvettes under project 28 is evaluated as 7,000 Swedish kronas ($1.5 bln).
Development of the corvettes started in 2003 and the lead ship was supposed to be delivered as early as in March 2006. However, due to repeated changes in construction at design phase delivery date of the lead ship was postponed to 2012.
Large ASW ship Kerch celebrates 35th anniversary of naval flag hoist
Source: Russian Navy
The crew will meet the jubilee having positive results. The ship has passed technical recovery and after performing course tasks it was included into the fleet's constant readiness force. Summarizing the results of 2009, large ASW ship Kerch was ranked the best BSF ship in mine and torpedo drills as well as ship logistic management.
Large ASW ship Kerch was designed by Northern Design Bureau of Soviet Ministry of Shipbuilding and built at Nikolayev 61 Communards Shipyard. It was laid down in 1971, launched in a year and commissioned into Soviet Navy in 1974.
The ship was named after destroyer Kerch heroically sunk on April 19, 1918. During its service, the ship performed combat tasks in Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Since 1976 till 1979 and since 1991 till 1993 it was deployed in the Mediterranean; participated in naval exercises Shield-82 and Soyuz-84. In 1984, 1989 and 1993 it visited People's Republic of Bulgaria; in 1989 – Turkey; in 1998 – port of Cannes (France) and port of Messina (Italy).
During ASW search operations it kept contact with foreign nuclear and diesel subs for a long time. The ship covered over 180,000 miles while being in constant readiness force.
In different years of its service, the ship won Red challenge banner of BSF Military Council, Minister of Defense's Pennant for bravery and military merit in 1979, Red challenge banner of USSR Ministry of Irrigation and Water Industry as "The best BSF ship". The ship twice won USSR Navy Commander's Prize for missile firing in 1978 and 1993.
Through many years the ship's command cooperates with patronage organizations of Moscow, Belgorod and Volgograd. Those regions send draftees to serve at large ASW ship Kerch.
USS Michigan
Today’s website is USS Michigan from the Naval History and Heritage Command website. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1855 - USS Plymouth crew has skirmish with Chinese troops.
1875 - Cmdr. Edward Lull begins expedition to locate the best ship canal route across Panama.
1943 - In the Southwest Pacific, USS Helena (CL 50) fired first proximity-fused projectile in combat, shooting down a Japanese dive bomber in the process.
1968 - Lt. Clarence W. Cote becomes the first male Nurse Corps officer in the regular Navy.
Photo of the Day
Fog rises over the Atlantic Ocean as the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducts flight operations.
Gator
