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Naval Contractor News

22 May 2017

Cyber Vigilance at Sea: The New Norm

© Sergei Simonov / Adobe Stock

The risk of cyber attacks on vessels at sea continues to be significant, and it’s not going away any time soon. Each year, it seems, there are more and more reports of hacks that have resulted in loss of critical data, financial loss or problems with IT systems or shipborne systems functionality. Shipowners have been reluctant to share information on actual or attempted breaches for fear of being identified. However, there’s no shortage of examples of cyber attacks on vessels.

27 Dec 2016

Fincantieri the Sole Bidder for STX France

Italian shipbuilding and construction group Fincantieri SpA is the only bidder for shipping group STX France, a source close to the matter said on Tuesday. The sale of STX France, which specialises in building cruise ships in the western France city of Saint-Nazaire and is profitable, forms part of the broader sale of businesses from the collapsed STX shipbuilding group. A spokesman for a Korean court overseeing the process had said earlier on Tuesday that one bid had been received for the STX France business, without giving a name. A spokesman for the Seoul court overseeing STX Offshore's receivership had said in November that four parties had expressed interest in buying one or both of South Korea's STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co Ltd and a controlling stake in STX France.

19 Dec 2016

Australia, France to Ink DCNS Sub Deal

Australia and France are to sign a deal on Tuesday allowing French naval contractor DCNS to build a new fleet of submarines for Australia, said Australia's defence minister, in a deal worth 50 billion Australian dollars ($36.4 billion). "The contract will set out the legal framework under which Australia and France will partner on the future submarine programme over the coming decades." Australian defence minister Marise Payne told reporters in Sydney on Monday. Earlier this year, DCNS had been left reeling after details from more than 22,000 pages of documents relating to submarines it is building for India were published in The Australian newspaper, sparking concerns about the company's ability to protect sensitive data.

29 Sep 2016

Australia Names Lockheed Martin as Weapons System Provider for Submarines

Photo courtesy of DCNS

Australia has selected U.S. defence company Lockheed Martin Corp as its preferred bidder to supply the combat system for its new $38 billion fleet of submarines, the country's defence industry minister said on Friday. Lockheed Martin beat out competition from U.S. rival Raytheon Co, which built the system for Australia's existing Collins-class submarines. Australia chose French naval contractor DCNS Group in April to build 12 new submarines in a deal worth A$50 billion ($38 billion) - one of the world's most lucrative defence contacts.

04 Sep 2016

India Shelves Plan for More DCNS Submarine

Following the leak of secret data about  Scorpene submarine  capabilities, in ‘The Australian’ newspaper last month, India is believed to have decided not to let French naval contractor DCNS a fresh proposal for three new submarines, as per a report in the Reuters. The DCNS is building six Scorpenes in Mumbai’s Mazgaon Docks shipyard. The trial of one of the submarines was conducted in May this year. All six will be inducted into Indian Navy by 2020. An unnamed defence ministry official has told Reuters that New Delhi will not go for more submarines from the French company. Quoting the official, Reuters reported: “We had an agreement for six, and six it will remain.” A spokesman of the Indian Navy confirmed that the orders would not be placed for three more submarines.

26 Aug 2016

Australia Warns DCNS after Security Breach

Australian defence officials warned French naval contractor DCNS to beef up security in Australia, where it is preparing to build a A$50 billion ($38.13 billion) fleet of submarines, in the wake of a massive data leak, a government spokesman said on Friday. DCNS was left reeling after more than 22,000 pages outlining details relating to submarines it is building for India were published in The Australian newspaper earlier this week, sparking concerns about its ability to protect sensitive data. A senior Australian defence official, acting on orders from Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, warned DCNS that the government was deeply concerned by the implications of the leak, a spokesman for the minister told Reuters.

24 Aug 2016

French Sub Info Leaked

Leaked DCNS documents "neither critical nor confidential" - source   Leaked documents about French naval contractor DCNS' Scorpene submarines appear to be neither critical nor confidential, a source close to the matter said on Wednesday.   "It seems to be sensitive information but appears neither critical nor confidential," the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity. (Reuters reporting by Cyril Altmeyer; writing by Michel Rose; editing by Richard Lough)

02 May 2016

French PM: Aussie Subs to be built in Australia

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Monday he was committed to building all of a new Australian submarine fleet in Australia, apparently contradicting the French contractor who said last week the deal would create jobs in France. Valls stopped off in Australia while headed to New Zealand for a scheduled visit, just days after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said France had beaten out Japan and Germany for the A$50 billion ($38 billion) contract. Valls said he would personally oversee the drafting of the contract, one of the world's biggest defence deals, between France's state-owned naval contractor DCNS Group and Australia over the next few months. "We would like to conclude as soon as possible this contract," Valls told reporters through an interpreter after meeting Turnbull.

29 Apr 2016

How France Sank Japan's Sub Dream

Ousting of Japan ally PM Abbott opened door to rivals; Tokyo slow to respond to new competitive process. In 2014, a blossoming friendship between Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe looked to have all but sewn up a $40 billion submarine deal. Then French naval contractor DCNS hatched a bold and seemingly hopeless plan to gatecrash the party. Almost 18 months later, France this week secured a remarkable come-from-behind victory on one of the world's most lucrative defense deals. The result: Tokyo's dream of fast-tracking a revival of its arms export industry is left in disarray. Interviews with more than a dozen Japanese…

26 Apr 2016

France sinks Japanese, German Sub Bids

Fleet of 12 submarines to be built in South Australia; decision has political implications at home, abroad. France has beaten Japan and Germany to win a A$50 billion ($40 billion) deal to build a fleet of 12 submarines for Australia, one of the world's most lucrative defence contracts, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on Tuesday. The victory for state-owned naval contractor DCNS Group underscored France's strengths in developing a compelling military-industrial bid, and is a blow for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to develop defence export capabilities as part of a more muscular security agenda. Reuters earlier reported that DCNS would be announced as the winner, citing sources with knowledge of the process.

26 Apr 2016

France's DCNS Wins $40 bln Australian Submarine Contract

France's state-owned naval contractor DCNS Group has won a A$50bn ($40 billion) contract to build 12 submarines for the Australian Navy, beating bids from Japan and Germany. Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s prime minister, announced that DCNS awarded tender over Germany and Japan to build fleet of Barracuda-class submarines in South Australia. The decision to build a new fleet of submarines in partnership with DCNS represented “a momentous national endeavour,” he said. The Shortfin Barracuda submarines will be built in Adelaide using Australian steel, creating 2,800 jobs, he said. French President Francois Hollande hailed the decision as historic.

19 Apr 2016

Submarine Bidders Step up Lobbying for Australia Tender

Japan's advanced attack Soryu submarine carried out drills with Australia's navy on Tuesday as a German company launched a campaign to advertise its expertise - as a race for a A$50 billion contract to build Australia's next submarine fleet neared a climax. Industry sources told Reuters the Australian government is speeding up its decision on the contract - France is the other major bidder - with a winner now expected to be announced by the end of the month. Australia intends to buy 12 new submarines, a centrepiece of its defence strategy unveiled in February, which called for an increase in military spending of nearly A$30 billion over the next 10 years to protect strategic and trade interests in the Asia-Pacific.

24 Jan 2016

Germany Out of Australian Submarine Tender

As a bid from Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) loses ground over technical concerns, the competition for a A$50 billion ($34.55 billion) contract to build Australia’s next submarine fleet is narrowing to a race between Japan and France, reports Reuters. Some sources say Japan may be closer to grabbing the submarine fleet. Another bidder for the Australian submarine fleet competition is France. Australia has said it wants a boat in the 4,000-ton class. TKMS is proposing to scale up its 2,000-ton Type 214 class vessel, while Japan is offering a variant of its 4,000-ton Soryu boats made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

13 Nov 2015

Merkel Backs German Bid to Build Australian Submarine Fleet

HMAS Collins, part of Australia's aging Collins Class, was commissioned in 1996. (Photo: Royal Australian Navy)

Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced her government's support on Friday for a German arms manufacturer's bid to win a $35.7 billion (A$50 billion) contract from Australia to build it a new fleet of submarines. Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and France's state-controlled naval contractor DCNS are competing with Japan for the deal, seen in part as an Australian effort to counter Chinese assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region. "The German government supports the German bid…

29 Sep 2015

Japan Renews Submarine Bid for Australia

Japan looking to fix faltering Australian submarine bid. Japan is ready to match European rivals and build a fleet of submarines for Canberra entirely at Australian shipyards, a senior Japanese official said on Tuesday, after stumbling in its effort to win the A$50 billion ($34.76 billion) contract. Tokyo was willing to train hundreds of Australian engineers in Japan's submarine-manufacturing hub of Kobe as well as in Australia as part of its offer for one of the world's biggest defence contracts, Masaaki Ishikawa, director general for Acquisition Reform at the Ministry of Defense, told Reuters. His comments are the first from an official directly involved in the bid that Japan is willing to build the stealth submarines entirely in Australia, where jobs are a hot button political issue.

01 Sep 2015

Japanese Sub Pitch puts off Australian Firms

Japan had been seen as frontrunner for Australian submarine deal, but Australian defence firms unhappy after talks with Japan. A Japanese consortium eyeing a A$50 billion ($35.68 billion) contract to build submarines for Australia irked local suppliers by failing to share key information about its proposal or discuss specific collaboration possibilities during a visit last week, executives at Australian firms said. The apparent missteps underscore Japan's inexperience in bidding for global defence deals after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ended a decades-old ban on weapons exports last year as part of his more muscular security agenda. Japanese defence officials and executives from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries visited Adelaide…

26 Aug 2015

Japan Woos Australia in bid for Sub Deal

Japanese delegation tries to make case for submarine contract. Japan's effort to charm Australian politicians and the public over its bid for a A$50 billion ($35.60 billion) submarine project appeared to stumble on Wednesday, with officials from Tokyo resisting pressure to commit to building the vessels in Australia. Japanese defence officials and executives from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries made their first major pitch to build 12 stealth submarines for Australia's navy during public briefings in Adelaide, a ship-building hub. Once seen as the frontrunner to win the contract, the Japanese bid has since come under scrutiny over whether Tokyo would build any of the submarines in Australia, where manufacturing jobs are a hot-button political issue.

24 Apr 2013

USS Freedom Repainted with Amercoat

Photo by David Clapp

PPG Industries said the topsides of the USS Freedom, lead ship of the U.S Navy's littoral combat ships (LCS), have been repainted using AMERCOAT(R) 240 edge-retention epoxy and PSX(R) 700SG epoxy-polysiloxane coatings by PPG's protective and marine coatings (PMC) business. Commissioned in 2008, the USS Freedom went to dry dock in January 2013 to remove the existing coatings system because that system had failed. Lockheed Martin, builder of the USS Freedom, naval contractor YYK Enterprises, Inc., National City, Calif., and the U.S.

06 May 2015

Japan to Hand Over Data Ahead of Australia Submarine Bid

Japan will agree this month to give Australia classified submarine data, an unprecedented step signalling Tokyo's intent to join competitive bidding to sell Canberra a fleet of stealth subs, said two Japanese officials familiar with the plan. The "competitive assessment" will see Germany's ThyssenKrupp and France's state-controlled naval contractor DCNS separately competing with a Japanese government-led bid for such contractors as Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Japan had been the front runner in the planned sale of around 12 vessels, for as much as $40 billion, to replace Australia's ageing Collins class submarines, sources have said, until Prime Minister Tony Abbott opened up the bidding under pressure from opposition and ruling party lawmakers.

18 May 2015

Japan to Bid on Aussie Sub Replacement Contract

Japan will join competitive bidding to sell Australia a fleet of stealth submarines, the government said on Monday, a move expected to require Tokyo to supply Canberra with classified data. The development comes as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe moves to strengthen security ties with ally the United States and some countries in the region including Australia in the face of China's rapid military modernisation and maritime expansion. "We have decided to participate" in the bidding to replace Australia's ageing fleet, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference. The "competitive assessment" will see Germany's ThyssenKrupp…

09 Jul 2015

Australia Senator Pushes Aussie Sub Parts on Japan

An influential Australian senator has asked Japan to buy components for its Soryu submarines from Australian companies to boost its chances of winning a major contract to supply Canberra with a fleet of submarines. Independent South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon made the request to submarine builders Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd as well as government officials in a series of meetings in Japan this week. "What could be a game changer in their bid and in the relationship between the two countries in terms of defence cooperation is for components to be built in Australia," Xenophon said during an interview in Tokyo on Thursday.

04 Aug 2015

Pressure for Australia Sub Deal Grows

Australia to spend A$65 bln on ships and subs over 20 years; PM pledges A$40 bln for domestic shipbuilders. Australia will spend A$89 billion ($65 billion) on ships and submarines for its navy over the next 20 years but pressure grew on Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday to spend more than half that total building a new submarine fleet domestically. Two naval shipbuilding programmes, the A$20 billion SEA5000 Future Frigate project and the SEA1180 Offshore Patrol Vessels, would be brought forward to guarantee the continuous domestic construction of surface warships, Abbott said. Despite that new component, Abbott is facing intense pressure from within his conservative Liberal Party…

09 Feb 2015

Scepticism, Confusion over Australia Submarine Tender

Officials in Australia and Japan on Monday expressed scepticism and confusion over a pledge by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to give an Australian state-owned shipbuilder the option to tender for a major submarine contract, heightening the uncertainty around the project. Sources have said Australia is strongly considering buying a version of the 4,000-tonne Soryu-class submarine built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to replace its ageing Collins-class fleet. But Abbott on Sunday promised shipbuilder ASC Ltd the option to bid for the next-generation submarines, worth as much as A$40 billion ($31 billion), in an attempt to shore up support ahead of a challenge to his leadership from within the ruling Liberal Party.