Bomber Task Force Europe Training, May 2020

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07/22/2020

Greek F-16s escort two B1B Lancers during a training mission over North Macedonia for Bomber Task Force Europe, May 29, 2020.

Aircrews from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, took off on their long-range, long-duration Bomber Task Force mission to conduct interoperability training throughout Europe and the Black Sea region.

Training with our NATO allies and theater partner nations contribute to enhanced resiliency and interoperability and enables us to build enduring relationships necessary to confront the broad range of global challenges.

NORTH MACEDONIA

05.29.2020

Courtesy Photo

U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs    

A Greek F-16 escorts two B1B Lancers during a training mission over North Macedonia for Bomber Task Force Europe, May 29, 2020. Aircrews from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, took off on their long-range, long-duration Bomber Task Force mission to conduct interoperability training throughout Europe and the Black Sea region. Training with our NATO allies and theater partner nations contribute to enhanced resiliency and interoperability and enables us to build enduring relationships necessary to confront the broad range of global challenges. (Courtesy photo by Ukrainian Air Force)
Greek F-16s escort two B1B Lancers during a training mission over North Macedonia for Bomber Task Force Europe, May 29, 2020. Aircrews from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, took off on their long-range, long-duration Bomber Task Force mission to conduct interoperability training throughout Europe and the Black Sea region. Training with our NATO allies and theater partner nations contribute to enhanced resiliency and interoperability and enables us to build enduring relationships necessary to confront the broad range of global challenges. (Courtesy photo by Ukrainian Air Force)
Greek F-16s escort two B1B Lancers during a training mission over North Macedonia for Bomber Task Force Europe, May 29, 2020. Aircrews from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, took off on their long-range, long-duration Bomber Task Force mission to conduct interoperability training throughout Europe and the Black Sea region. Training with our NATO allies and theater partner nations contribute to enhanced resiliency and interoperability and enables us to build enduring relationships necessary to confront the broad range of global challenges. (Courtesy photo by Ukrainian Air Force)
Greek F-16s escort two B1B Lancers during a training mission over North Macedonia for Bomber Task Force Europe, May 29, 2020. Aircrews from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, took off on their long-range, long-duration Bomber Task Force mission to conduct interoperability training throughout Europe and the Black Sea region. Training with our NATO allies and theater partner nations contribute to enhanced resiliency and interoperability and enables us to build enduring relationships necessary to confront the broad range of global challenges. (Courtesy photo by Ukrainian Air Force)
Greek F-16s escort two B1B Lancers during a training mission over North Macedonia for Bomber Task Force Europe, May 29, 2020. Aircrews from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, took off on their long-range, long-duration Bomber Task Force mission to conduct interoperability training throughout Europe and the Black Sea region. Training with our NATO allies and theater partner nations contribute to enhanced resiliency and interoperability and enables us to build enduring relationships necessary to confront the broad range of global challenges. (Courtesy photo by Greek Air Force)

Israelis Sell OPVs to African Nation

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07/20/2020

By Guy Martin

An unidentified African country has ordered two OPV 45 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) from Israel Shipyards.

The company announced the agreement on 9 July, saying the vessels were designed for a wide range of missions including protection against the increasing threat of piracy in the region, but provided little other detail. In September 2019 it said it had sold two OPV 45s but did not announce the customer.

The agreement includes ongoing support and training as well as the creation of a maintenance programme within the framework of the company’s Integration Logistic Support (ILS) services, Israel Shipyards said.

The OPV 45 was launched at the IMDEX show in May 2019 as a cost-effective solution mainly for the export market, especially in the Asia-Pacific, Africa and South America. The design is 45.7 metres long, has a beam of 8.6 metres and displacement of 300 tons. Maximum speed is about 24 knots and range more than 3 500 nautical miles at 12 knots. It can accommodate between 16 and 21 crew, and has additional berth for up to 24 personnel.

The vessel can carry a 7.2 metre rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) in an automated launch-and-recovery system on the aft deck, which can also take 20 foot containerised modules for different missions.

Weapons options include stabilised naval gun systems of up to 30 mm on the foredeck and 12.7 mm machineguns elsewhere on the vessel. Israel Shipyards said the African customer’s vessels will be equipped with day/night observation systems as well as stabilized weapon systems, both Israeli-made.

According to Eitan Zucker, CEO of Israel Shipyards, “Since the launch of the OPV 45 vessel at the IMDEX exhibition in Singapore last year, navies around the world have expressed great interest in this new vessel due to its cost-effectiveness and suitability for a wide range of missions. We believe that this vessel will make a significant contribution to maritime border protection in Africa.”

The OPV 45 has been designed for a wide range of naval, para-military and homeland security missions, including open sea patrol and surveillance, the protection of facilities and exclusive economic zones, anti-terror/smuggling/illegal activity interdiction, intervention force boarding/landing, close-range naval combat operations, and enhanced search and rescue missions. The OPV 45 can also be equipped for minimizing illegal immigration transits, fishing protection and control, and anti-pollution activities.

Israel Shipyards also offers 58 and 62 metre long OPVs as well as Saar class missile corvettes (Saar 4, Saar 4.5 and Saar S-72), fast patrol craft (Shaldag MK II – MK V), commercial ships, tugboats, and multipurpose boats. It has supplied Shaldag vessels to Senegal and Nigeria, amongst others.

This article was published by defenceWeb on July 9, 2020.

The featured photo shows an OPV 45 offshore patrol vessel.

USNS Medgar Evers

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The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) conducts a vertical replenishment-at-sea with the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE 13).

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) remains at sea in the Atlantic as a certified carrier strike group force ready for tasking in order to protect the crew from the risks posed by COVID-19, following their successful deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.

Keeping HSTCSG at sea in U.S. 2nd Fleet, in the sustainment phase of OFRP, allows the ship to maintain a high level of readiness during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

04.15.2020

Video by Seaman Apprentice Samuel Tyson

USS Harry S Truman

816 Romeo Squadron at HMAS Albatross

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07/18/2020

816 Squadron maintenance Romeos are seen operating onboard the HMAS Albatross.

816 Squadron is Navy’s operational support squadron for the MH-60R ‘Romeo’ maritime combat helicopter.

The squadron can deploy up to eight flights embarked in Navy’s fleet of Hobart class destroyers and Anzac class frigates, providing a ship or task group with an enhanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capability.

The crew, consisting of the Aircraft Captain, Mission Commander and Sensor Operator, combine to maximise the employment of the Romeo.

HMAS Albatross is the largest operational Naval establishment and the Navy’s only Air Station. The primary task of HMAS Albatross is to support the five naval Squadrons, which provide air support to the fleet.

The primary task of HMAS Albatross is to support the five naval Squadrons, which provide air support to the fleet. The five Squadrons and the aircraft they operate are:

 

An MH-60R 'Romeo' helicopter from 816 Squadron is silhouetted against the morning sun on the flight line at HMAS Albatross.
816 Squadron aircrew conducts a pre-flight checks on an MH-60R 'Romeo' helicopter on the flight line at HMAS Albatross.
An 816 Squadron maintenance sailor prepares to remove the tow bar from an MH-60R 'Romeo' helicopter in the early morning light on the flight line at HMAS Albatross.

Australian F-35 Training: Upgrading the Simulators with Australian Domain Knowledge

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07/17/2020

By Alisha Welch

The software in the FMSims was upgraded to align with the latest Operational Flight Program.

The four F-35A Full Mission Simulators (FMSims) currently operational at RAAF Base Williamtown have been successfully upgraded by local experts to support the continued build-up of pilot training at No. 3 Squadron and No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit.

Led by Defence’s F-35A industry partner Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA), the software in the FMSims was upgraded to align with the latest Operational Flight Program (OFP) installed in the aircraft.

Training Systems Manager at the Air Combat Systems Program Office (ACSPO), Harley Doughty, said this was an important step because it was critical the training devices and aircraft operating systems remain aligned.

“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) in the US was planning to send an installation team to all sites around the world with fielded FMSims to complete the upgrade,” Mr Doughty said.

“The upgrade team would have comprised at least three US personnel, including a test pilot. The capability of local simulator technicians from LMA has been growing since 2018, when the F-35A precinct opened at Williamtown and the first FMSims pair was installed and declared ready for training in early 2019.”

Mr Doughty said the capabilities of the local team enabled the successful completion of the software installation without the physical presence of the American team, with reach-back support provided by the US, over a two-week period in May.

“All four F-35A FMSims have now been returned to operational service,” Mr Doughty said.

“With the freeze on international travel, had a local support option not been available, our FMSims would have been out of alignment with the software configuration of the aircraft. This would have been further compounded when subsequent OFP software upgrades were released.”

He said the successful local upgrade was a precedent for future upgrades and could potentially save Australia hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel and support costs over the life of the program.

Officer Commanding ACSPO, Group Captain Al Wherrett, said Defence had developed a strategy to ensure a safe and effective transition of F-35A training from the US to Australia.

“The F-35 Program has been conducting F-35 training in the US for more than six years,” Group Captain Wherrett said.

“Australia has leveraged the knowledge from the US experience to establish and grow the sovereign Australian F-35A training system over the past two-to-three years. Simulation plays a key role in F-35A training and Defence is working closely with the F-35 JPO, LM and LMA to ensure training and courseware delivery meets our capability and schedule requirements.”

LMA’s Australian F-35 In-Country Lead, Andy Doyle, said LMA had been growing Australian industry expertise in F-35A training support roles at Williamtown since 2018, including pilot and maintenance instructors, courseware developers, simulator technicians and information systems support.

“The software upgrade to the simulators provided a great opportunity for our team to apply their knowledge and skills, and has ensured that the FMSims continue to match the F-35A aircraft software and provide maximum training benefit to the RAAF,” Mr Doyle said.

Ten F-35A FMSims will eventually be installed – six at Williamtown and four at RAAF Base Tindal – supporting sovereign F-35A pilot training for the life of the capability.

This article was published by the Australian Department of Defence on June 26, 2020.

 

MAG-24 Training Mission

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Marine Aircraft Group 24 conducted a maximum readiness and integrated training mission, Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, May 19, 2020.

Utilizing three separate flying platforms, MAG-24 successfully launched seven CH-53E Super Stallions, seven MV-22B Ospreys, and two UH-1Y Venoms, conducting the mission to increase proficiency through integrated training to produce readiness and project power.

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, UNITED STATES

05.28.2020

Video by Sgt. Luke Kuennen

Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Finnish Defense Exports, 2019

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07/15/2020

In 2019, the Ministry of Defence granted a total of 284 permanent export licences for defence materiel (257 in 2018). The total value of the licences was EUR 105 million, which is 40% lower than in 2018; then the figure was EUR 176 million. The value of actual exports decreased by 12% and was around EUR 113 million in 2019.

Most of the permanent export licences, in euros, were granted for fire observing and related alarm and warning devices, sniper rifles and their attachments and software.

In addition, several licences were granted, for example, to export defence materiel for warranty and maintenance purposes and, on a temporary basis, for demonstration and testing purposes.

Europe remained as the most important export destination. While more than two thirds of the licences granted were for exports to Europe, more than 75% of the total exports of defence materiel were to the European area.

As to individual countries where Finland exported defence materiel, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and United Arab Emirates ranked as the most important ones.  The most significant export items were vehicle components, patrol boats and protective materials.

The share of the Middle East in Finland’s defence equipment exports continues to decline both in terms of licences granted and in terms of actual exports. In 2019, only less than five per cent of the licences granted were for the Middle East.

Licence considerations are always made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration national legislation and international commitments that are binding on Finland. Finland complies with the joint position of the Council of the European Union concerning the basis of licence consideration and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

Licence applications are processed in a cross-sectoral export working group where the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the foreign and security policy assessment.

This article was published by the Finnish Ministry of Defence on June 18. 2020.

Sustainment at Sea

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The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) participates in a replenishment-at-sea with the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE 13).

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) remains at sea in the Atlantic Ocean as a certified carrier strike group ready for tasking in order to protect the crew from the risks posed by COVID-19, following their successful deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.

Keeping HSTCSG at sea in the U.S. 2nd Fleet, in the sustainment phase of OFRP, allows the ship to maintain a high level of readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

05.15.2020

Video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin Waddell 

USS Harry S Truman