An Update on French Defense Industry During the Lockdown: April 1, 2020

04/01/2020
By Pierre Tran Paris - Arquus last week delivered 13 VAB armored troop carriers to support the French army in the African Barkhane operation, and an initial batch of 100 VT4 light vehicles for national security, the vehicle manufacturer said March 31. Meanwhile, Nexter partially restarted production March 30 after…

The Contribution of the Australian Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel to Smart Sovereignty

04/01/2020
By Robbin Laird The argument of my forthcoming report on the nature and impact of the new build Australian OPV program is that the new build OPV is shaping a new template for Australian shipbuilding. And it is one in which the role of the prime contractor is being redefined…

L3Harris Australia: Working as Part of Team Luerssen in the New Build OPV

04/01/2020
By Robbin Laird In the first part of this article, I posed the question: What does it mean to be a supplier to such an effort in which the prime contractor is tasked to deliver ongoing capabilities and contribute those capabilities across the force, rather than to provide simply capabilities defined…

Shaping a New Build Platform for an Integratable Force: What is the Role Then for Suppliers?

03/30/2020
By Robbin Laird I have focused in recent months on the shaping of the integrated distributed force as the core outcome of shaping a sixth-generation force. At the heart of being able to do so is to have C2/ISR systems operating on platforms which allow for synergy management, or the…

The Latest Air Warfare Destroyer Arrives in Sydney Harbour: NUSHIP Sydney

03/28/2020
By Lieutenant Geoff Long and Lieutenant Commander Kristen Russo Sydney residents had a first glimpse of their city’s namesake ship with the arrival of NUSHIP Sydney at Garden Island today. The last of the three Hobart-class destroyers joining Navy’s fleet entered Sydney Heads and made her way through the harbour, with contractors…

The New Australian Offshore Patrol Vessel: Its Impact in the Perspective of Vice Admiral (Retired) Tim Barrett

03/23/2020
By Robbin Laird The first time I met Vice Admiral (Retired) Tim Barrett was at the 2016 Williams Foundation Seminar in which he addressed the evolving role of the Australian Navy in the transformation of the Australian Defence Force. He provided a keynote presentation to the August 2016 Seminar on…

Industry and the Australian Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel: The Role of CIVMEC

03/20/2020
By Robbin Laird The Australian Offshore Patrol Vessel or the Arafura Class OPV program is the launch program for the new Australian approach to shipbuilding. Termed a “continuous shipbuilding process,” the core point is to have an ongoing shipbuilding effort, rather than a start and stop approach built around a…

Industry and the Australian Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel: The Role of Luerssen

03/18/2020
By Robbin Laird The Australian Offshore Patrol Vessel or the Arafura Class OPV program is the launch program for the new Australian approach to shipbuilding. Termed a “continuous shipbuilding process,” the core point is to have an ongoing shipbuilding effort, rather than a start and stop approach built around a…