Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
US Navy Effort in Africa Could Expand to Other Services
Source: Voice of America news
The deputy commander of U.S. naval forces in Africa says he hopes to expand the Navy's Africa Partnership Station program to involve other U.S. military services.
Admiral Harry Harris says as the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Air Force components for Africa Command become more structured, he hopes they will join the Navy's effort to help build the military capacities of African nations. The admiral told reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday most of the current Africa Partnership Station effort is focused on African naval capabilities, although he said U.S. and partner-nation Navy personnel do some training and construction on land.
He says adding the Army, Marines and Air Force troops would expand the training program, but not change its basic philosophy. "We want to help African nations help themselves solve African problems," said Admiral Harris. "And we don't go in unless we're invited, and we go in with a spirit of full collaboration and partnering with African nations, as well as other countries."
Admiral Harris notes that about 20 countries have participated in the Africa Partnership Station program since it began in 2007, including several European countries and Brazil, as well as about 10 African countries. This year, the program will involve efforts in East, West and Southern Africa, but the admiral says there is so far no plan to expand to Northern Africa.
The Navy program trains African forces in such skills as search and rescue, hostile ship boarding, small boat operations and ship maintenance. This year's West Africa program will include a Nigerian Naval officer as its deputy commander.
Admiral Harris is new to his post, but he says Africa Command is finding much more receptiveness among African nations than it did when it was formed two years ago, and many nations were suspicious of its intentions.
"We are not building bases in Africa," he said. "We're not doing those things that the naysayers suggested that we would. Quite the opposite, I believe we're living up to our promise of being a true partner."
Admiral Harris says his forces are also concerned about drug trafficking through Africa. He says cartels in Latin America are moving some of their drugs across the Atlantic to Africa and then north to Europe. The admiral says the partnership program, as well as a separate effort to improve African law enforcement capability, could help combat that.
Van Galen Now Under Portuguese Flag
Source: Netherlands Ministry of Defense
State Secretary Jack de Vries today in Den Helder transferred the frigate Hr. Ms. Van Galen to his Portuguese counterpart, Marcos Alto. Under Portuguese flag, she was christened "Francisco de Almeida.”
Hr. Ms. Van Galen is the seventh of eight Multipurpose frigates (M-frigates) built by the Royal De Schelde shipyard. Its keel was laid on January 7, 1990 and it entered service with the Royal Netherlands Navy on December 1, 1994.
The State Secretary voiced mixed feelings about the transfer: "We say goodbye to a great ship," said De Vries, "but we also know that she goes to a good home, and that our allies will use her well."
The divestiture of the frigates stems from a plan to adapt the Navy so that it is better able to support Dutch crisis operations and land operations abroad. By divesting the M-frigates, money becomes available to replace them with patrol boats and also to reinforce the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. Additionally, it will also finance the construction of the Joint Support Ship.
This is the second Multipurpose frigate, after the previously divested Hr. Ms. Van Nes, that is being sold to Portugal. The Netherlands earlier sold four other M-Frigates: 2 to Belgium and two to the Chilean Navy.
The NH90 NFH Arrives In Australia
Source: NH Industries
The new generation NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) naval helicopter has arrived in Brisbane Australia. It has been transported from Milan, Italy to Brisbane in one of the biggest aircrafts in the world, the Antonov 124 along with the PT1 NH90 Demonstrator.
During this demonstration tour, the audience composed of Public, Australian military and political authorities will have the opportunity to assist to several flight demonstrations as well as static display presentations of the helicopter in Brisbane, Sidney (Pacific 2010), Nowra Navy Base. The NH90 NFH will be displayed with its complete mission and weapon suites.
The NH90 NFH is proposed by Australian Aerospace and NHIndustries for the replacement of the ageing fleet of Seahawks naval helicopters in the Royal Australian Navy.
The NH90 NFH is currently the most modern helicopter in its class, it is a true multirole aircraft able to perform a wide spectrum of missions such as Search and Rescue, support, utility, anti piracy, antiship and anti submarine missions anytime anywhere. It has been designed to operate from a ship or a land base.
This 21st century helicopter, currently in production for several European countries, is delivered with the most up to date sensors, equipments and weapon system available on the market in order to achieve mission success without compromise on the crew’s safety.
The NH90 features a quadruple redundant Fly By Wire system, a wide, corrosion free, fully composite fuselage as well as a very effective floatation gear.
Its uniquely wide cabin, fitted with a mobile rear ramp as well as its integrated mission system, allows the NFH’s crews to perform several missions in the same flight. This versatility explains why the NH90 NFH is the new world reference in term of naval military helicopter.
The NH90 NFH shares a high degree of commonality with the MRH90 already produced by Australian Aerospace in Australia and in service in the Australian Army and Navy.
This 80% commonality between the NH90 naval and tactical transport versions allows its users to rationalise their helicopter fleets in order to make substantial savings.
The twin-engine, medium-size NH90 helicopter is provided by the consortium NHIndustries, the company owned by AgustaWestland (32%), Eurocopter (62.5%), and Fokker (5.5%).
The NH90 helicopter programme is the largest ever launched in Europe, with firm orders now reaching 529 units to equip and modernize the Armed Forces of France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Oman, Australia, New-Zealand, Spain and Belgium.
Final negotiation steps are yet under process with several other Defence Forces to secure contracts concerning additional NH90, both in the Tactical Transport and Naval versions.
USS Norton Sound
Today’s website is the USS Norton Sound. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1911 - The first hydroaeroplane flight is witnessed by a naval aviator.
1913 - The body of John Paul Jones is laid in its final resting place in the chapel of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
1949 - USS Norton Sound (AV 11), the first guided-missile ship, launches first guided missile, Loon.
1960 - USS John S. McCain (DL 3/DDG 36) rescues the entire 41-man crew of the sinking Japanese freighter, Shinwa Maru, in the East China Sea.
Photo of the Day
The amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) transits off the coast of Haiti.
Gator
