This was just too interesting not to post. Based on what I see here, Magnetic North has moved over 1200 nautical miles (2222 kM) since 1900, or about 10 nautical miles a year. It is no longer in Canada. Looks like the movement may be accelerating. A North South reversal is over due. Probably no reason to be alarmed.
HNoMS Heyerdahl in the Svalbard archipelago
I had been under the impression that while the Russians were building up their military forces in the Arctic, that, generally, conflicts in the Arctic were being handled diplomatically. This report suggests there may be an unresolved conflict brewing in the high North.
U.S. flagged general cargo ship Ocean Grand, carrying two former U.S. Coast Guard cutters, sails in the Dardanelles, on its way to the Black Sea, in Canakkale,Turkey November 20, 2021. REUTERS/Yoruk Isik
Serious concern Russia may be preparing to attack Ukraine. The Ukrainians are apparently planning some upgrades, but it is definitely a David and Goliath situation.
After publishing my initial post about this stabilized gun mounting system, a comment from Secundius provided much better, more detailed photos of the system and gave me the manufacturer’s name, FlexForce. The FlexForce website told me they were headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and that the system is available on GSA schedule.
Their “News” page indicates the mount will be at the Work Boat Show in New Orleans,Booth 3877 aboard Lake Assault Custom Boats FP-M boat (33 foot US Navy Force Protection, Medium) December 1-3. If this becomes a standard USN system, it would make it more readily available, perhaps at Navy expense.
Below is their data sheet for maritime applications. The Coast Guard obviously knows about this mount. The first photo below is obviously of the system mounted on a Webber class WPC.
Click to access 20190115-ASP-Maritime-Datasheet.pdf
There is another better photo of the mount on a Webber class here and a photo of it mounted on a Coast Guard 25 foot boat here.
The Coast Guard has been looking for ways to make their weapons more accurate for some time. Unfortunately some of the links are broken, but I did this report back in 2014. Back in 2017, when I was able to do a tour of the Bailey Barco, the gunners mate told me they had done some weapons testing with Navy and Marine as well as Coast Guard observers aboard.
The Electro-Optic options should also help with targeting, especially at night. The remote option essentially makes this a remote weapon station meaning the operator need not be an obvious target. Significantly FlexForce claims the system is effective against UAS.
Hopefully this system or something like it will start showing up on Coast Guard cutters, most immediately those assigned to PATFORSWA.
(I wonder if it might be possible to mount the Fletcher APKWS launcher on this (with the remote option)?
Type 056 corvette, credit 樱井千一
We have a report from Defence.PK, that 22 PLAN Type 056 corvettes are being transferred to the China Coast Guard. These ships are the early models that were completed without the more sophisticated anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the Type 056A. Rather than upgrade them, the Chinese Navy will build 22 additional Type 054A Frigates.
Reportedly they are adding a LED billboard and the missiles are being removed. Probably the torpedoes as well. But that still leaves a 120 round/minute 76 mm gun and a pair of 30mm Guns.
The China Coast Guard already has more large cutters than the US Coast Guard, despite of the fact that their EEZ is less than 20% that of the US, even if all their outrageous claims were accepted. But most of these cutters have no guns of 20mm or larger. 22 AK-176 76mm guns and 44 30mm Guns will substantially increase the China Coast Guard’s firepower.
These 1500 ton 25 knot ships are a handy size for an area like the South China Sea.
Unlike the US Coast Guard, the China Coast Guard tends to operate their cutters in groups. Three of these, snuggled up to you, at close range, could be very intimidating even to a DDG like those the US Navy uses for Freedom of Navigation Exercises. For relatively unarmed Asian Coast Guard cutters, it would be much more so.
Chinese Naval Forces don’t have a lot of naval victories in their past so the Battle of Paracel Islands, where they defeated the Vietnamese by opening fire at very close range, must assume outsized importance in their imagination.
I note, the cutters China used when they recently turned back a Philippine resupply effort in the South China Sea, included at least one armed with a 76mm gun.
In case you missed it, below is a statement from the US Ambassador to the Philippines (and to China).
British navy sailor fires burst using gun mounting system ASP (Agile, Small-deflection, Precision) armed with a .50 heavy machine gun. (Picture source British Royal Navy)
If we don’t replace the .50 caliber machine gun and we don’t put it in a remote weapons station, we may still do something to improve its accuracy as a crew served weapon.
Navy Recognition reports the Brits have been testing a new mount.
Over a week of trials, the team put down nearly 5,000 .5 caliber rounds – 3,500 fired using the new mounting, 1,450 from a heavy machine-gun on a traditional ‘soft’ mounting to allow for comparisons. They conducted more than three dozen gunnery shoots in different scenarios and weather conditions to give both mountings a comprehensive workout.
Seven of Argyll’s ship’s companies were taught how to fire a .50 cal loaded onto the new mount. They found it easy to use – and their gunnery improved as the trials went on.
I would at least be curious about their test results.
A graphic illustration of the future Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Quentin Walsh (DDG 132). (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Paul L. Archer/Released)
The U.S. Navy and General Dynamics (GD) Bath Iron Works (BIW) marked the start of fabrication for the future USS Quentin Walsh (DDG-132) with a ceremony at BIW’s Structural Fabrication Facility in East Brunswick, Maine, November 16.
This earlier post tells the story of this Coast Guard Hero.
Passing along this Press release. There is a link at the bottom to a lot of good photos.
Welcome back home Healy.
Media Advisory: Coast Guard Cutter Healy returns to Seattle from 133-day trip around North America WHO: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy and crew. WHAT: Return to homeport following a 22,000-mile, 133-day deployment circumnavigating North America. The commanding officer will be available for interviews following the cutter’s mooring. WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at 12 p.m. estimated ship arrival. WHERE: Pier 36, 1519 Alaskan Way S, Seattle, WA 98134. Healy deploys annually to the Arctic in support of oceanographic research and Operation Arctic Shield, the Service’s annual operation to execute U.S. Coast Guard missions, enhance maritime domain awareness, strengthen partnerships, and build preparedness, prevention, and response capabilities across the Arctic domain. Commissioned in 2000, Healy is one of two active polar icebreakers in the Coast Guard’s fleet. Healy is capable of breaking 4 feet of ice continuously and up to 8 feet of ice while backing and ramming. The U.S. Coast Guard is recapitalizing its polar icebreaker fleet to ensure continued access to the Polar Regions and protect the country’s economic, commercial, environmental, and national security interests. The Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, through an integrated program office, on April 23, 2019, awarded VT Halter Marine Inc., of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a fixed-price incentive contract for the detail, design and construction of the lead Polar security cutter with contract delivery planned for 2025. Additional photos from Healy’s deployment are available here. |
Photo: PMSA
Baird Maritime reports delivery of a Chinese designed Offshore Patrol Vessel to the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), the maritime safety and law enforcement arm of the Pakistan Navy. This second ship was reportedly built in Pakistan while the first was produced in China.
This ship may look a bit familiar. It appears to be a variant of the Type 056 corvette. 72 of the corvettes were inducted into the Chinese PLA Navy between 2013 and 2019. Variants of the class also serve with the Bangladeshi and Nigerian Navies and the China Coast Guard.
There is a Pakistani Coast Guards distinct from the PMSA, but it falls under the authority of the Pakistani Army and functions more like Customs and Border Protection and its Air and Marine Unit, being limited to operations on shore and within the 12 mile limit.
Royal Navy Photo
Naval News reports on the Royal Navy’s increasing use of the Puma small Unmanned Air System (sUAS).
And we have this from Seapower, regarding a new night time imaging system.
The Puma is a system the Coast Guard has experimented with more than once, and the Canadians have also adopted it. My last look at this small UAS with comments on its suitability and links to previous posts here.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 