Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Review Feature - USS Enterprise 1/720
MSW crew-mate Dariush (Dr_Who2) shares with us his thoughts on Revell’s USS Enterprise in 1/720. This is one review in a series covering the ships of the Enterprise line.
Textron Marine & Land Systems, L-3 Communications add Alcoa Defense to SSC Team
Source: Textron
NEW ORLEANS & NEW YORK --- Textron Marine & Land Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. company, today joined L-3 Communications to announce the addition of Alcoa Defense, a business of Alcoa, to the team pursuing the U.S. Navy’s next-generation landing craft, the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC).
“With more than 100,000 lbs of aluminum in every craft, you want to make sure you have the undisputed world leader in aluminum on your team,” said Textron Marine & Land Systems General Manager Tom Walmsley. “With Alcoa’s unsurpassed knowledge of aluminum production and performance, proven design capability and advanced product manufacturing know-how, they are an integral part of our team’s low risk and life cycle focused approach to SSC.”
As a business segment of the world’s largest aluminum company, Alcoa Defense is a leader in designing, developing and manufacturing high-performance aluminum structures optimized for cost and weight. Alcoa Defense brings a proven track record in systems and materials solutions to the team, offering its advanced manufacturing and structural design support, as well as materials and sub-assembly supply options for fabrication and assembly.
“Textron Marine & Land Systems and L-3 together are the experienced leaders in heavy lift air cushion design, engineering, manufacturing and integration,” said Alcoa Defense Director Jimmy Williams. “Alcoa Defense gives the team another way to optimize the SSC design. With an unmatched combination of proven design tools and new manufacturing technologies, this team has the capability to minimize craft weight and maximize cost savings that have not only been achieved on the LCAC program, but more recently in Alcoa Defense’s case, the Littoral Combat Ship and Joint High Speed Vessel.”
The SSC is planned to be the functional replacement for the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC), the cornerstone of the U.S. amphibious program for more than 20 years, providing a revolutionary means for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps to land at more than 80 percent of the world's shorelines. LCAC has fulfilled a critical role in tactical operations and humanitarian relief efforts across the globe.
The SSC program, with its amphibious lift requirement, will provide the surface assault portion of the Joint Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare tactical solution with the capability to project and sustain military operations from the sea, independent of tides, water depth, underwater obstacles, or beach gradient. An SSC detailed design and construction contract for the lead test and training craft is expected to be awarded in 2011.
The USS Mobile Bay and the USS Philippine Sea are both Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers.
Towards Becoming Europe’s Most Modern Navy
Source: Norwegian Ministry of Defense
“This is a big and important day for Norway as a coastal nation. We have much to defend, and with HNoMS Storm and the Skjold Class we are better equipped than ever before,” says State Secretary Roger Ingebrigtsen who was attending the naming ceremony of HNoMS Storm.
The ceremony took place on September 9 at Umoe Mandal. Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, was godmother.
Important vessels for Norway
HNoMS Storm is the first of a total of six Skjold Class missile-armed, stealthy fast patrol boats (FPB). Also known as a Fast Reaction Craft, this is a modern, technically advanced naval vessel capable of playing an important role in upholding Norwegian sovereignty and undertaking crisis management missions in both Norwegian and international waters.
The vessels are powerfully armed, have long endurance and are highly capable of dealing with challenging conditions at sea. The main armament of the Skjold Class will consist of the Norwegian-produced Naval Strike Missile. The vessels have attracted considerable interest world-wide.
“Norway’s territorial waters cover a very large area and we need naval vessels to uphold our rights and fulfil our obligations at sea. The Skjold Class embodies the very latest technology and has a natural place on Norway’s defence forces. These FPBs are, we believe, the world’s fastest naval vessels. They will make a significant contribution in relation to maintaining a naval presence in the High North,” a highly satisfied State Secretary points out.
The FPBs are also capable of undertaking search and rescue missions and the protection of Norwegian assets on the continental shelf. They are also equipped to enable them to take part in international operations.
Delayed delivery
Delivery of the vessels has been delayed, mainly due to engine problems. “Naturally this is not ideal. I would, however, like to emphasise that we are satisfied that the technical problems have now been solved. The most important thing for us is that we can now bring these vessels into service,” says Roger Ingebrigtsen.
“We are aware that the shipbuilders, Umoe Mandal, have reduced the scale of their activities now that these vessels will soon have been completed. In connection with the Government’s package of support measures for the shipbuilding industry, a number of initiatives have been launched to support future working at Umoe Mandal.
“It is in the Norwegian navy’s interests to have more countries as users of Skjold Class FPBs and we will therefore be giving priority to Umoe Mandal where the use of market support resources is concerned. Furthermore, the decision has been taken to keep maintenance of the Skjold Class, other than that carried out by the Navy itself, within Norwegian industry,” says the State Secretary in conclusion.
battleships-cruisers.co.uk
Today’s website is battleships-cruisers.co.uk. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1911 - Navigational instruments first requested for naval aircraft.
1951 - In Operation Summit, the first combat helicopter landing in history, U.S. Marines were landed in Korea.
1981 - USS Mount Hood (AE 29) and Navy helicopters rescue 18 crew members of Philippine Navy frigate, Datu Kalantiaw.
Photo of the Day
The corvette HMS Gävle of the Swedish navy in Visby harbor.
Gator
