Defense Procurement Agency News

The French defense procurement agency “Direction Générale de l’Armement” (DGA)  signed a contract for the procurement of four new Logistic Support Ships (LSS) for the French Navy.The temporary consortium formed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group has been notified of the order for LSS and of their first six years of operational maintenance.According to a press release from the French industrial group specialised in naval defence and marine renewable energy, this order for the French Navy is part of the Franco-Italian LSS Programme led by OCCAr, the international Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation, on behalf of DGA…

The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) has taken delivery of its first Daegu-class (FFX-II) frigate. South Korea’s defense procurement agency, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) formally handed over the ship to the Navy, the first of an eight-ship program. As well as the controllable pitch propellers, Rolls-Royce is on contract to provide the main propulsion power for the first four FFX-II ships with the Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine as part of a hybrid propulsion system, specifically designed to enhance Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities. Eight Daegu-class frigates are scheduled to be built, the first of which is being built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).

French shipbuilder Naval Group said it floated the FREMM multi-mission frigate Normandie on February 1, roughly one year after the start of hull assembly in the building dock on the Lorient site. The eighth FREMM frigate to be built in Lorient and the sixth in a series ordered by OCCAR (Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation) on behalf of the DGA (French Defense Procurement Agency - Direction Générale de l’Armement) for the French Navy, the FREMM Normandie was taken out of…

DCNS said it has been awarded a contract from the French Defense Ministry for the development and construction of five intermediate-size frigates (FTIs) intended for the French Navy. DCNS will propose a French version of its new BELH@RRA frigate. The first of the five frigates from this French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA)-managed program should be delivered in 2023 with an entry into active service in 2025. The new BELH@RRA frigate will be designed and developed by DCNS, in joint project management with THALES for the development of the new-generation radar it will be equipped with.

Thales, BAE Systems and their partner SAAB, ECA Group and ASV Global welcome the confirmation by the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) that the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) and French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) will continue its collaboration for the combined United Kingdom and France MMCM (maritime mine counter measures) program. Initiated in 2010 under a cooperation agreement between France and the United Kingdom, the MMCM program develops a prototype autonomous system for detection and neutralisation of sea mines and underwater improvized explosive devices (UWIEDs). The agreement signed at Euronaval today between Harriet Baldwin…

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…

The German Navy's third F125-class frigate Sachsen-Anhalt was christened in March during a ceremony held at ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Hamburg. Dr. Gabriele Haseloff, wife of the premier of the state of Saxony-Anhalt after which the frigate has been named, performed the christening ceremony in the presence of representatives from government, the German Navy and the companies involved. The F125-class frigate propulsion module consists of one LM2500 gas turbine, two…

PIRIOU selects iXBlue’s QUADRANS as reference gyrocompass for the French Navy B2M multi-mission ship program as iXBlue QUADRANS sales tops 400 units since launch. For each vessel, iXBlue will supply the complete navigation suite, including QUADRANS gyrocompass, NETANS data distribution and processing unit, and the warfare navigation software. iXBlue is a global provider of navigation, positioning and imaging solutions and services for civil and defense applications. PIRIOU specializes in the design, construction and repair of high value-added ships.

South Korea's defense procurement agency has signed a contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries to acquire a new next-generation landing ship LST-II, reports Yonhap New Agency. This vessel will be South Korea's second LST-II ship designed to land personnel, tanks and equipment simultaneously, after the first one that has been under construction by Hanjin Heavy Industries since 2011. The new contract is worth 136.4 billion won (US$129 million), and delivery is set for 2016, says Yonhap, citing the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Source: Yonhap News Agency

Northrop Grumman Corporation will appoint Andrew Tyler chief executive for the United Kingdom and Europe, effective July 1, 2013. In this new position, Tyler will play a leading role in supporting the company's current programmers, developing strategies for growth and identifying new business opportunities for the company's activities in the U.K. and Europe, including NATO countries. He joins Northrop Grumman from Siemens' Marine Current Turbines where he was chief executive officer. Prior to that he was chief operating officer at Defense Equipment & Support (DE&S) in the U.K.

VT Shipbuilding started production of the latest Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer on July 31. Construction of the fifth ship in the Class, which will be called HMS Defender, was officially started by Matt Roberts, Leader of the Defense Procurement Agency’s Type 45 Integrated Project Team. He started cutting steel on VT’s advanced laser machine to signal the launch of production. The bow section is scheduled to leave VT in February 2008 for consolidation with the rest of the ship, which will be built at the Govan yard of Type 45 prime contractor BAE Systems Naval Ships. VT is building the bow sections, funnels and masts of all six Type 45 destroyers on order and the 1,000 tons section will eventually be 50 m long and some 14 m high.