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



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Thales Signs Contract to Equip Additional FREMM Frigates
Source: Thales

NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE, France --- Thales has signed a contract to equip France’s additional three FREMM frigates with radar, infrared search and track, sonar and communications systems - bringing to 11 the number of French multi-mission frigates the company will supply.

“This latest contract reinforces Thales’s position as a key partner in developing the most advanced naval warfare systems available and further strengthens FREMM’s future,” said Pierre-Eric Pommellet, Thales Senior Vice President in charge of Defence Mission Systems, during the signature with Bernard Planchais, DCNS Executive Vice-President.

FREMM is the European programme for multi-mission frigates, launched in 2005 by France and Italy. Run by OCCAR (European joint armaments cooperation organisation), the objective of this programme is to replace existing navy frigates with new 6,000-tonne frigates, equipped with cutting-edge warfare systems.

French Defence Minister Hervé Morin announced in October 2009 that France had ordered these three additional navy frigates, bringing its total order to 11, alongside 6 frigates already ordered by Italy.

The newly signed contract takes into account new allocations for the FREMM frigates, namely 9 anti-submarine (ASM) versions and 2 anti-air versions (FREDA).

The Thales-Elettronica joint venture, SIGEN, oversees the provision of next generation electronic warfare systems under a separate set of contracts. As part of this partnership, Thales supplies FREMM frigates with detection, scrambling, and decoy systems for detecting threats, intercepting communications, and providing self-defence.

Prime contracting duties for FREMM are handled by DCNS in France, and by Orrizonte Sistemi Navali in Italy.


Abu Dhai MAR and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Establish Strategic Partnership
Source: Joint Abu Dhabi MAR and ThyssenKrupp release

Abu Dhabi MAR, the international shipbuilding group based in Abu Dhabi, and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems have signed a contract for the sale of Blohm + Voss to Abu Dhabi MAR.

The contract includes the acquisition of Blohm + Voss Shipyards in Hamburg and the civil shipbuilding facilities of the former HDW Gaarden including employees in Kiel. Abu Dhabi MAR will also acquire an 80% stake in each of Blohm + Voss Repair and Blohm + Voss Industries, both of Hamburg.

The parties also agreed on the formation of a 50:50 strategic partnership for the design and program management of naval vessels.

The two companies had already signed a memorandum of understanding on this in October 2009.

His Excellency Ahmad Darwish Al Marar, Chairman of Abu Dhabi MAR, said: “This agreement is an important milestone for Abu Dhabi MAR in the implementation of our strategy to position ourselves as a world leading shipbuilding company. The aim of this transaction is to generate long-term growth, strengthen the international market position of the company, expand our product range and gain access to new customers.”

“In Abu Dhabi MAR we have found a suitable partner for a highly promising long-term relationship. This strategic partnership represents a solid foundation for the future of the shipyard and will make it possible to attract new customers,” said Dr. Olaf Berlien, member of the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp AG.

The transaction is subject to clearance required under merger control laws. For the naval activities, the transaction is also subject to the approval of the German government under the provisions of the Foreign Trade Act (Außenwirtschaftsgesetz). The closing is expected to take place by the end of June 2010.

Abu Dhabi MAR was advised by International Investment House, the investment company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, as well as Corporate Finance Advisor Hans Lotter, the international law firm Allen & Overy LLP and Deloitte & Touche GmbH, the accounting firm.




World War II plane crash discovered in Oregon Coast forest
Source: KTVB.COM

TILLAMOOK, Ore. -- A World War II-era U.S. Navy plane has been uncovered in a forest along the Oregon Coast.

Loggers made the discovery on private property near Rockaway Beach earlier this week.

Tillamook County Sheriff Todd Anderson said the Pentagon was concerned about possible remains of two veterans whose families would need to be notified.
According to Anderson, the aircraft was discovered on private logging land about a half mile inland between the towns of Wheeler and Rockaway beach.

"It makes you realize what was happening during that time period. It's almost like a snapshot of what was going on during the second world war," said Christian Gurling of the Tillamook Air Museum. Gurling believes the plane was likely flying from Naval Air Station Astoria which served as a landing point for pilots based on air craft carriers off the Oregon coast. As a divebombing aircraft, Gurling says the Helldiver was used to defend against Japanese submarines.

"The model that they found up there, the dash five, they only built 970 of those and the rest of the 2500 were all cancelled because the war was coming to an end," explained Gurling.

Crews saw a wing, tail section, landing gear and debris from the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver in a heavily wooded area, OSP reported. The debris field was spread out over about 200 yards.

OSP and defense department officials were concerned about preserving the site until their investigation could be finished. A bomb disposal team said there was no evidence of any explosives.

Investigators were looking into whether the plane crashed on a military mission or was later purchased by someone prior to the crash.

Officials from the Joint Prisoner of War / Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC) in Honolulu and Navy Region Northwest were also investigating pending any human remains are found.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1778 - Capt. John Paul Jones of Ranger leads a landing party raid on Whitehaven, England.
1898 - U.S. warships begin a blockade of Cuba.
1987 - The U.S. Navy is ordered to provide assistance to neutral vessels under Iranian attack outside the exclusion zone and that requested help.


Photo of the Day



Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Marco Estrada moves a spotting piece on the Ouija board in flight deck control aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).

Gator