Combat Management News

Thales said Thursday it would equip the Polish Navy MIECZNIK (Swordfish) frigates with the TACTICOS combat management system, sonars, infrared sensor, and radars, providing the warships with multiple functions for detection, identification, command and control, and decision-making. The first ship is expected to enter service in 2029 through a strategic program, which incorporates a cooperation agreement between Thales and the PGZ-MIECZNIK Consortium (lead by Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa).Designed to carry out a wide range of tasks at sea…

The U.K. Royal Navy recently trialed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies at sea to counter supersonic missile threats.The operational experiment was carried out on the Type 45 Destroyer (HMS Dragon) and Type 23 Frigate (HMS Lancaster), using the AI applications Startle and Sycoiea as part of Exercise Formidable Shield, which wrapped up on Thursday off the coast of Scotland.As part of the Above Water Systems program, led by Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) scientists…

Damen Shipyards Galati performed the traditional keel-laying ceremony on June 2, 2021, for the Combat Support Ship (CSS) Den Helder for the Royal Netherlands Navy.The yard carried out the steel cutting for this new vessel in December last year, and following the keel-laying, all the building blocks for the actual construction of the ship in Romania are now ready. The next ceremonial milestone is the naming of the vessel, but not before the building of the ship is completed in 2023.

Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) has ordered energy management and electric propulsion package from GE’s Power Conversion for the new Combat Support Ship (CSS) being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy.The CSS ordered by the Dutch government in December 2019 will be 180 meters in length, will accommodate a 75-persons basic crew, with capacity for an additional 85 persons on-board. GE’s will deliver main switchboards for the ship distribution system, with two shore connection cubicles…

Elbit Systems announced Wednesday it has been awarded a contract valued at approximately $53 million to provide and integrate intelligence suites onboard Navy vessels in a Southeast Asian country. The contract will be performed over a two-year period.Under the contract, Elbit Systems will equip several vessels with suites that provide the capability to perform complex reconnaissance missions, generating an operational picture of the air, surface and underwater domains, it said.

General Dynamics Mission Systems said it has secured a $40.3 million contract to support the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) in its role as U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Independence-variant Software Support Agent (SSA), Combat Management System (CMS), and In-Service Engineering Agent (ISEA).The contract, awarded May 1, will provide support for LCS Independence-variant CMS efforts. As the prime contractor, General Dynamics’ responsibility will be…

Combat systems were recently installed and tested aboard the second of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence’s SIGMA 10514 Perusak Kawal Rudal (PKR) guided missile frigates, the KRI Gusti Ngurah Rai (332).The PKR frigates are constructed via a modular process operating simultaneously at Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) in the Netherlands and the PT PAL shipyard in Indonesia.This method, which allows the Damen Shipyards Group to build vessels anywhere in the world, enables…

On 19 December the Cabinet of the Netherlands’ Government has submitted a so-called D-letter to the Parliament, to begin the construction of the Combat Support Ship Zr.Ms. Den Helder. The D-letter, part of the Defense Materiel Process (DMP), is the conclusive letter announcing the procurement decision for a large military project. With this new ship, the supply capacity of the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) will once again expand to two ships. The construction of this new, essential…

BAE Systems has demonstrated for the first time how Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) can be fully integrated with operational Royal Navy warships to extend their reach beyond the horizon and reduce sailors’ exposure to danger.The unmanned Pacific 24 Rigid Inflatable Boat (P24 RIB) is integrated with the combat system of HMS Argyll, a Type 23 frigate, in a series of waterborne demonstrations in London’s Docklands at DSEI 2019, the international defence and security event.At 7.8 metres long, the P24 RIB has a speed of 38 knots and can operate for up to 45 hours at patrol speed or 100 nautical miles in pursuit mode, while being controlled remotely or operating autonomously.Its integration with an active warship has potential applications across a range of missions…

Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Many have constabulary responsibilities, and it could be argued that, with the exception of the largest navies, most are more like a coast guard than a military force in their normal responsibilities.Every Navy is different. Yes, they all share similar challenges of acquisition…

Naval Group has launched the seventh multi-mission FREMM frigate for the French Navy from a specialist facility in Lorient.Known as Alsace, the vessel is the first of the two air defence frigates under the FREMM programme  – Multi-Mission European Frigates – for the French Navy and the ninth multi-missions FREMM frigate.Thirteen months after the keel laying of the first block, the FREMM DA Alsace is released from the construction form of the Naval Group site of Lorient. Ninth multi-missions FREMM frigate, it is also the seventh one for the French Navy, ordered by the OCCAr on behalf of the DGA..In order to answer the operational requirements…

Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Many have constabulary responsibilities, and it could be argued that, with the exception of the largest navies, most are more like a coast guard than a military force in their normal responsibilities.Every Navy is different. Yes, they all share similar challenges of acquisition…

Abu Dhabi Ship Building and Italy's Leonardo signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday to work together to create a combat-management system (CMS) for the United Arab Emirate's navy ships, state news agency WAM reported.The companies will work jointly on an integration laboratory capable of testing, maintaining and evolving the software of Leonardo's combat-management system, which is operational on more than 20 of the UAE Navy's ships, WAM said.The agreement also covers potential development of a joint logistic support solution for preventive and corrective maintenance and a local spare parts inventory for Leonardo naval systems.Reporting by Asma Alsharif and Alexander Cornwell

On December 13th, Brazilian company WEG Electric Equipment, and Dutch company Praxis Automation Technology, both leading companies within their respective fields, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the bid of Damen Shipyards Group and Saab for the construction of four corvettes for the Brazilian Navy. For the Tamandaré class corvettes bid, Praxis and WEG will be partners for the supply of the complete Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).The signing took place at Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in the Netherlands and was witnessed by staff from Damen…

Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the Navy finds itself trying to build up again. The expansion of Russian and Chinese naval power has changed the calculus. While there will always be a debate about the final number of ships to build, we can all agree on one thing: the Navy must get bigger and the demand signal is to start building now,” said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, in testimony before Congress regarding the sea service’s 2019 budget request.

The French and Italian governments announced their intention to facilitate the creation of a more efficient and competitive European shipbuilding industry and to reinforce their military naval cooperation by initiating discussions with a view to establish an industrial Alliance between Fincantieri and Naval Group.Fincantieri and Naval Group worked intensively since this date and submitted their proposal for such an Alliance in July 2018 to the competent French and Italian Ministers, encompassing an industrial project and its envisaged roadmap, along with a description of the key initiatives, which they propose to launch rapidly.Acknowledging the declaration of support by the French and Italian governments…

ATLAS ELEKTRONIK and Thales Deutschland have jointly been commissioned to deliver the combat system of the German Class K130 Corvette. The order comprises five corvettes as well as the Test and Training Centre (EZ/BUZ) in Wilhelmshaven.With completion scheduled for 2025, the FüWES K130 consortium formed by the two companies and led by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK will deliver the combat system hardware and also adapt and update the existing Combat Management System software of the K130, first batch (ships 1-5).The contracted solution for ships 6-10 is identical to the original contract (2003) for the K130, first batch. In line with the re-build requirement, changes in the solution are only related to obsolescence and compliancy with German regulations.

In order to meet the needs of the Brazilian Navy, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Saab come together to develop the project that will supply four Tamandaré Class corvettes.Damen is a Dutch company and a global leader in shipbuilding that has supplied over 6,000 vessels. Over 20 navies throughout the world operate Damen-built vessels. The company will be responsible for supplying the ship Sigma 10514, proven platform that will be adapted to meet the demands of the client.Saab is a Swedish company with more than 70 years of experience in the defense industry.

The U.S. Navy has a balanced fleet, but it wants to grow bigger and better. Will the budget allow both? Maritime Reporter's March 2017 cover story on the U.S. Navy was all about the numbers. There exists several plans to grow the fleet beyond the current number of 308 ships, the Mitre recommendation of 414 ships, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment 340-ship proposal, and the Navy’s decision to grow the fleet to 355 ships, and the Trump administration’s 350. With so many numbers being bandied about, there are even more suggestions on how to get there.

A new partnership between Cammell Laird and BAE Systems aims to position the companies to build five Type 31e Frigates for the U.K. Royal Navy. The Teaming Agreement has been formed in response to the U.K. Ministry of Defense Request for Information and will now be part of a competitive tender process. Under the agreement, Cammell Laird will act as Prime Contractor to build the Type 31e Frigates with BAE Systems providing warship design, engineering capability and combat systems expertise.

Defense technology company Naval Group and helicopter manufacturer Airbus Helicopters will together lead an effort to develop warship based aerial drones for the French Navy. The French companies were recently contracted by the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) to perform a “de-risking” study ahead of future construction of tactical helicopter drones. The demonstration project will eventually lead to trials of the drone launch system, mission system and airborne rotary-wing vehicle, conducted from a French Navy vessel.

A group of Philippine opposition senators has sought a public inquiry into the navy’s 15.7 billion peso ($310 million) acquisition of a frigate from a South Korean firm, after media said the president’s closest aide had meddled in the deal. President Rodrigo Duterte is furious at media reports that his longtime special assistant, Christopher “Bong” Go, had intervened to help a South Korean sub-contractor win the right to install a combat management system on the two missile-capable vessels, which are due for delivery in 2020. Go has denied any wrongdoing. The frigate issue cost former navy chief Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado his job last month.

Lockheed Martin Canada has signed a formal contract with the New Zealand government for ship installation and trials to complete the upgrade and modernization of the ANZAC class frigates. The first of two frigates, Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) TE KAHA arrived in Victoria yesterday. Lockheed Martin Canada is responsible for designing and supplying the upgraded combat system for each ANZAC Class Frigate, including a new combat management system – based on Lockheed Martin Canada's Combat Management System 330 – along with the supply and integration of various sensors, a missile system and a Combat Systems Trainer. Lockheed Martin Canada has entered into a subcontractual agreement with Seaspan Victoria Shipyards Co.