MarineLink reports that the wreck of LV-71, a lighthouse that had been sunk by a U-boat during WWI while on watch on Diamond Shoal, is being surveyed. It is a very short read, but an interesting bit of history.
From the German Navy blog “Marine Forum,” 28 August, “VIETNAM, Full-rigged sail training vessel LE QUY DON, built by Polish shipyard Marine Projects for the Vietnamese Navy, is on its transfer voyage from Poland around the Cape of Good Hope to Vietnam … mixed Polish-Vietnamese crew for final trials and crew training enroute.”
Photo: Yilan (CG 128). (Taiwan Coast Guard Administration)
I mentioned this earlier in a comment on an earlier post, but Jane’s has more detail and much better pictures. Back on June 8, Janes 360 reported that Taiwan’s Coast Guard administration has commissioned two new 3,000 ton, 119 meter (390 foot) helo capable cutters, Yilan (CG 128) and Kaohsiung (CG 129), with a speed of 24 knots and a range of up to 10,000 miles.
Taiwan, along with Mainland China, supports the concept of the Nine Dash Line, but they have a particular beef with Japan. regarding the Senkakus Islands as they are known in Japan or the Diaoyutais as they are known in China and Taiwan, about 120 nautical miles (220km) northeast of Taiwan.
The other area where these might be assigned is protection of the area around Taiping Island, the largest of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea (at least before the Chinese began reclamation) which the Taiwanese have garrisoned.
Photo: Kaohsiung (CG 129). (Taiwan Coast Guard Administration)
“Since 2008, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration has been engaged in a 37-ship building program totaling 17,000 tons at a cost of approximately NT$ 24 billion ($782 million).”
Earlier, we talked about the fact that a documentary about the Coast Guard’s response to Hurricane Katrina, called Paratus 14:50. You can watch it on-line here.
The Coast Guard Compass is doing a series on Katrina. Its worth a look. These are the posts published so far.
NavyRecognition is reporting that Saudi Arabia has contracted for 79 15 meter (49 foot) Interceptor/Patrol Boats. This is part of a larger contract awarded to German shipbuilder Lurssen. These 15 meter boats were subcontracted to the French Shipyard Cauach.
Bairdmaritime reports the Norway has received some new patrol boats (interceptors) that I find remarkable both for their speed (up to 50 knots) and for their quiet operating environments.
“We are proud to have achieved noise levels well below specification. 61 decibels in the wheelhouse and 71 in the transport room at a cruising speed of 40 knots is unique in a fast patrol boat of this size…”
They also have ” a comprehensive heating system to cope with severe Nordic winter conditions (including de-icing of deck areas).”
Things to think about when the Coast Guard ultimately starts to replace its 87 footers.
NavyRecognition has some more details about the four 90 meter, 2,000 ton OPV/Corvettes Israel ordered on 22 Dec.2014 that we talked about earlier.
Feeling more immediate threats than the US, Israel’s priorities are of course different from our own. Range and seakeeping are less important, while military capabilities have come to the fore.
They will have a non-rotating multi-function solid-state active phased array radar system (a sort of mini-Aegis system) integrated into the two masts, a 76 mm gun, two Typhoon gun systems essentially the same as our Mk38 mod2s like those on the Webber Class, Vertical Launch Systems for the Barak medium range AAW missile system, the shorter range C-Dome point defense system that uses the Iron Dome interceptor, and what appears to be 16 launchers for anti-ship cruise missiles, probably Harpoon.
The NavyRecognition post does not talk much about its ASW capability, other than to say that they will have 324mm torpedo launchers and facilities for support of a SH-60 helicopter, but since the much smaller Saar5 corvettes have both a hull mounted sonar and a towed array, these are likely to be included as well.
While we will certainly not load up our OPC with weapons like this, it does show how much combat power can be incorporated in a small ship
MarineLink is reporting that Lockheed will be awarded a sole source contract to provide integrated combat management systems for the planned 20 frigate variants of the Littoral Combat Ships.
U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command announced its plan to award Lockheed a sole-source contract for development and construction of two initial combat systems in a federal notice earlier this month. The news was first reported this week by the U.S. Naval Institute News earlier this week.
Why might this system go on the Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs)? The system is a modified version of the Aegis system. Apparently an outgrowth of the system already on the monohull Freedom class LCS. The National Security Cutters of the Bertolf Class also use a modified version of the Aegis system. Looking at the graphic above apparently from Lockheed you will not in the description that the system is intended for “patrol ships” and refers to PCC combat management systems.
The MarineLink article talks about an intention to do software upgrades to the existing systems on the Freedom class Littoral Combat Ships. Presumably there might also be upgrades to the system on the Betholf class.
If we are lucky (and smart) we may end up with common systems across the entire new generation of 33 large cutters. And hopefully the Navy will pay for it. Having a common system over what could be 85 ships (32 LCS, 20 FF, 8 NSC, 25 OPC) has got to lead to some economies of scale.
The US Naval Institute News Service has made available the U.S. Department of Defense’s Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Strategy.
I have only scanned it, but it does mention the Coast Guard in the context of freedom of navigation exercises and capacity building for our allies.
