Anyway - what to make of this?
Amongst the announcements about naval construction made in November 2020, the Prime Minister stated the intention to build new “multi-role research vessels”. No further detail about these ships has been given, although more may emerge when the Integrated Review is published. Here we look at the background to this project.
Rest of the article - here.
Replacements for Enterprise, Echo and Scott.
Who knows? You could argue that there is a case for British capabilities regarding the sea bed, Arctic, and civilian Oceanography. But where the funding and personnel would come from is anyone's guess.
The current RN hydrographic vessels were all built at Appledore.
"Cough". Gliders and autonomy. "Cough".A case could be made for increased hydrographic and oceanography because of climate change and NATO requirements in the Atlantic and Arctic.
A case could be made for increased hydrographic and oceanography because of climate change and NATO requirements in the Atlantic and Arctic.
But these will be missiles of a new class, specially designed for Ukraine by the British industryNot commercial - but welcome.
UK to design new missile boats specifically for Ukrainian Navy
New missile boats for the Ukrainian Navy will be designed in the UK as part of a previously signed memorandum on re-equipping the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Defence Attaché at the British Embassy Tim Woods said.
“These missile boats are designed specifically for Ukraine, so they will be original and will have a length of approximately 50 to 65 meters, which will provide a speed of 40 knots. It is planned to install artillery systems and missiles on them. It depends, among other things, on what kind of missiles are needed. And these can be short- or long-range missiles. This is the issue that British companies are considering right now. But these will be missiles of a new class, specially designed for Ukraine by the British industry,” Woods said in an interview with the Day newspaper.
He said that the first four boats will be constructed in the UK. At the same time, Ukrainian shipbuilders will be able to observe construction, learn and train.
Woods said that the second part, namely, four missile boats, will be constructed in Ukraine. It will be great for Ukrainian shipbuilding and also for the Navy, so these capabilities will be available in Ukraine.
The attaché believes the construction of the first ship will start early 2022.
Woods also said another option that we they studying has not yet been formalized, it is the joint design of warships of the British industry with the Ukrainian design bureau in Mykolaiv.
But these will be missiles of a new class, specially designed for Ukraine by the British industry
Forgive my scepticism, but really? A new class of missile will be designed specifically for four boats?
Interview with the boss of Infrastrata
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Infrastrata CEO John Wood on the future of UK shipbuilding - Global Defence Technology | Issue 121 | March 2021
We talk to John Wood, CEO of Infrastrata, about modernising the Harland & Wolff shipyards, the Fleet Solid Support ship competition and the future of UK shipbuilding.defence.nridigital.com
That brings back some memoriesThe more important part of the interview is that H&W appear to be installing a panel line (scale unknown) in Belfast, which is a good thing, cos they ain't doing FSS without one. It doesn't solve the people issue, but its a start.
Those 120 government vessels are largely small scale tugs, workboats etc, with a handful of slightly larger vessels like Buoy tenders, fisheries research vessels thrown in. That's the bit of the market he appears to be aiming at (rather than true commercial ships).
The big question will be whether they can compete effectively for those with the likes of Damen. If the answer is only with government help, then at some point, the cheque book will run out. You can't wing it and hope - the comedy that is Calmac and Fergies ought to demonstrate that in spades.
The more important part of the interview is that H&W appear to be installing a panel line (scale unknown) in Belfast, which is a good thing, cos they ain't doing FSS without one. It doesn't solve the people issue, but its a start.
Those 120 government vessels are largely small scale tugs, workboats etc, with a handful of slightly larger vessels like Buoy tenders, fisheries research vessels thrown in. That's the bit of the market he appears to be aiming at (rather than true commercial ships).
The big question will be whether they can compete effectively for those with the likes of Damen. If the answer is only with government help, then at some point, the cheque book will run out. You can't wing it and hope - the comedy that is Calmac and Fergies ought to demonstrate that in spades.