Tag Archives: BAE Systems

Navy

Upgrade Mk-45

August 20, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

The U.S. Navy has awarded BAE Systems a contract to overhaul and upgrade Mk-45 systems on U.S. Navy Destroyer Class (DDG) ships. The initial contract of approximately $80 million includes the upgrade of six guns to the Mod 4 configuration, with an option for four additional guns expected to be exercised in 2016, bringing the full value of the contract to $130 million.

The Mod 4 capability upgrades include a 62-caliber barrel, strengthened gun and mount subsystems, enhanced advanced control systems, a reduced signature, and low maintenance gun shield. The operational and performance improvements are designed to support potential increased ranges for Naval Surface Fire Support achieved through future extended range guided munitions.

«Our combat-proven Mk-45 Naval Gun System provides ships with an effective weapon for anti-surface, strike, fire support, and anti-air warfare combat», said Joseph Senftle, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems. «This award strengthens our position in large caliber guns and promotes the United States’ naval gun industrial base».

Work on this contract will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky, with support from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Delivery of the first upgraded gun will take place in October 2017 with the last delivery scheduled for January 2020.

BAE Systems has more than 40 years of experience with Mk-45 Mods 0-4, including more than 260 deliveries to the U.S. Navy and 10 fleets worldwide. The company’s Louisville facility houses its Naval Guns Center of Excellence for Naval Gun System manufacturing, providing component and spares fabrication, as well as final system assembly and test of new and modernized Mk-45 Naval Gun Systems.

The most compact 5-inch/127-mm fully automatic naval gun in the world

System Data

GENERAL SYSTEM AND AMMUNITION DATA
Barrel	One-piece (Mk-36 Mod 4)
Loading-pointing-operation	Fully automatic
CONVENTIONAL AMMUNITION
Ready service complement	Conventional 20 rounds
	Extended Range 10 rounds
Projectile weight	70 lbs/31.75 kg
	110 lbs/50 kg Extended Range Munition (ERM)
Muzzle velocity of service round	2,700 feet/sec/823 m/sec
	3,450 feet/sec/1051.56 m/sec
Ammunition types	All separate loading 5-inch 62-caliber ammunition have point detonating (PDF), proximity (VTF and IR), mechanical time (MTF) and electronically settable (ESF) fuzes. In addition, the ammunition has extended length munitions handling capability
Signal input for fuze setter	Continuous function to 1X and 5X synchros
Target capability	Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS), Airborne and surface
Misfire removal	Automatic
WEIGHT DATA
Gun System (w/o fluids/lower hoist)	53,770 lbs/24,389 kg
Gun System and four-flight lower hoist (w/o fluids)	57,722 lbs/26,182 kg
Gun System and four-flight lower hoist, Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM) Handling Mechanism Mod 0 (w/o fluids)	63,767 lbs/28,924 kg
Barrel one-piece	4,316 lbs/1,958 kg
PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS
Gun captain	One
Panel operator	One
Ammunition handlers	Four
Above deck	None
FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM APPLICATIONS
	Mk-160; Fiber-optic high-speed digital fire control interface accommodates integration of existing and future/improved Fire-Control Systems (FCSs), and provides for growth requirements to accommodate integration of future munitions types and ancillary capabilities
SHIP APPLICATION
	Escort ships, frigates, destroyers, cruisers and landing helicopter assault ships
TRAIN AND ELEVATION DATA
	Train	Elevation
Preset limits	+170 deg from stow	-15 deg, +65 deg
Velocity	30 deg/sec	20 deg/sec
Acceleration	38 deg/sec²	31 deg/sec²
POWER REQUIREMENTS
Electrical
Main power from ship supply	440 volts 60 Hz 3 ph
Average (rms) standby load	21 kW
Average (rms) firing load	185 kW
Peak running load (including anti-icing circuits)	200 kW
Pneumatic
Train or elevation motor (during maintenance)	1,274 cu m/min (45 cu feet/min) free air supplied at 7.03 kg/cm² (100 psig)
Gas ejector system	1,379 cu m/min (48.7 cu feet/min) Gun reduces free air supply at 12.3 kg/cm² (175 psig) to 7.03 kg/cm² (100 psig) for air motors
MAINTENANCE AND AVAILABILITY DATA
Operability tests and scheduled maintenance (average daily)	1.6 hours
Regunning time	1.0 hour
Availability (inherent)	99.6%

Navy

Artful sets sail

August 18, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

The latest technologically advanced attack submarine HMS Artful (S121) built by BAE Systems set sail from its facility in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, for sea trials on August 13. Commander Bower said: «I am immensely proud and honoured to be leading the crew of Artful. Her capabilities are extraordinary and represent the next step in our country’s century-long history of operating submarines».

HMS Artful (S121) will now join HMS Astute (S119) and HMS Ambush (S120)

Tony Johns, Managing Director, BAE Systems Submarines said: «Seeing Artful exit from Barrow on August 13 is the culmination of a huge amount of hard work from everyone at BAE Systems, our partners and the hundreds of businesses in our supply chain network. BAE Systems in Barrow is a world-class facility, designing and building submarines that are some of the most sophisticated engineering projects in the world. Everyone involved in the Astute programme should feel immensely proud of their achievements as the third in class Astute submarine reaches this significant milestone».

The design and build of the Astute class is a highly complex engineering feat. The 7,400-tonne attack submarines measure 318 feet/97 metres and are powered by nuclear reactors. Each submarine is armed with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk land attack missiles.

Artful is the third Astute class submarine to have been built by BAE Systems. Seven of the class have been commissioned in total and the remaining four boats are currently under construction.

Commander Bower said: «The crew, alongside the workers at BAE Systems have done a sterling job in generating more than a million parts into a submarine. Artful will be home to more than 100 men, and can spend months at a time submerged. She is able to generate her own air and water; food will be her only limiting factor. Having left Barrow, a period of trials begins to put the submarine through her paces, proving all of her systems before she officially becomes part of the Royal Navy’s fleet».

The Astute submarine programme is a key part of our £163 billion plan

Artful will follow her sister submarines to Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde in Scotland.

HMS Astute (S119)
HMS Ambush (S120)
HMS Artful (S121)
Audacious (S122)
Anson (S123)
Agamemnon (S124)
Ajax (S125)

Artful, the latest Astute class submarine built by BAE Systems setting sail from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, for sea trials

Navy

Type 26

August 9, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

BAE Systems has awarded the first equipment manufacturing contracts for the Type 26 Global Combat Ships (GCSs), worth in excess of £170 million. With the contracts awarded to seven companies in the supply chain, there are now more than 1,250 people across the UK working on the programme to deliver the Royal Navy’s next generation warships.

The first vessel is due to enter service as soon as possible after 2020

The contracts, awarded from the Demonstration Phase contract funding, cover key equipment such as propulsion, communications and electrical systems for the first three Type 26 ships. The commitment to long lead items keeps the programme on track and means the equipment will be delivered to Glasgow at the point it is needed in the ship’s manufacturing phase, which is expected to begin next year. The contracts include the creation of onshore testing facilities to test the equipment prior to installation on the ships. The contracts are awarded to:

Babcock for the ship’s air weapons handling system;
David Brown Gear Systems Ltd for the propulsion gearbox and the test facility;
General Electric (GE) Power Conversion for the electric propulsion motor and drive system and testing facility;
Raytheon for the integrated navigation and bridge system;
Rolls Royce Power Engineering for the gas turbine;
Rohde & Schwarz UK Ltd for the communications systems;
WR Davis for the uptakes and downtakes.

Type 26 Global Combat Ship, Design concept only

BAE Systems has also confirmed a subcontract to its Combat Systems team for the Meteorological and Oceanographic (METOC) system, which collates and analyses environmental information to support operations.

Geoff Searle, Type 26 Programme Director at BAE Systems, said: «Today’s announcement is exciting for everyone involved in the Type 26 programme, as it will enable our partners in the supply chain to start manufacturing key equipment for the first three ships. This reinforces the strong momentum behind the programme and is an important step towards the start of manufacturing the Type 26 ships for the Royal Navy in Glasgow next year».

These contracts are helping to support the UK’s vibrant industrial base, as Steve Watson, Managing Director, David Brown Gear Systems Ltd, explains: «The contract to supply the gearboxes for the Type 26 ships is the largest single order in our firm’s 150 history. As a result of our involvement in this programme, we have made significant investments in our infrastructure and we have transformed a semi-derelict area of our Huddersfield site into new state of the art manufacturing, assembly and test facilities. This means we can provide the latest generation of gearing technology to the Royal Navy’s Type 26 ships and it creates a strong platform to secure future orders across the defence, oil and gas, and power generation sectors».

The £859 million Demonstration Phase contract for the Type 26 programme began in April 2015. The new manufacturing contracts build on the existing 15 design development agreements across the supply chain, which means that a total of 17 companies across the UK, Europe and Canada already have contracts in place under the Type 26 programme. A joint team from BAE Systems, the Ministry of Defence, and the supply chain are working together to complete the detailed design for the ships, procure key equipment and prepare the manufacturing proposal to be submitted to the Ministry of Defence.

Under current planning assumptions, 13 Type 26 ships will be delivered to the Royal Navy. The first vessel is due to enter service in the early 2020s and the Type 26 class will remain in service into the middle of this century and beyond.

The Type 26 Global Combat Ship will be a globally deployable, multi-mission warship capable of undertaking a wide range of roles from high intensity warfare to humanitarian assistance, either operating independently or as part of a task group. The ship will take full advantage of modular design and open systems architecture, ensuring it can be easily upgraded as new technology develops and can accommodate different sub-systems and equipment suited to potential overseas customer needs.

Latest footage of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship

Navy

For sea trials

July 16, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

The Right Honourable Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, visited BAE Systems on July 10 and toured the latest Astute class submarine. HMS Artful is the third of seven highly sophisticated Astute class submarines being built by the Company for the UK Royal Navy. The remaining four are under construction at its site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

HMS Artful, the third of the Royal Navy’s seven Astute-class attack submarines, is currently preparing to leave the construction yard in Barrow-in-Furness for sea trials, before joining the Royal Navy fleet around the end of this year

The 7,400-tonne nuclear-powered attack submarine is undergoing final preparations before leaving for its operational base at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, in Faslane, Scotland. From there, it will undergo sea trials, when its full range of capabilities will be tested under the control of its Commanding Officer, Commander Scott Bower. Artful’s sister submarines, HMS Astute (S119) and HMS Ambush (S120), are already operating out of Faslane.

Mr. Fallon, who also visited BAE Systems’ giant build hall in which final assembly of each 318-feet-long/97-meter-long submarine takes place, said: «The Astute submarine programme is a key part of our £163 billion plan to ensure that our armed forces have the equipment they need. HMS Artful (S121) will now join HMS Astute (S119) and HMS Ambush (S120), helping to keep Britain safe. The next four boats are already under construction, securing thousands of jobs and showing our commitment to increase defence spending each year for the rest of the decade».

BAE Systems, which now employs more than 7,000 people at its Submarines facility, is responsible for designing, building, testing and commissioning the Astute class – the most capable attack submarines ever built for the UK Royal Navy. Each submarine packs a range of world-class technologies and is armed with Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Tomahawk land attack missiles.

The seven Astute class nuclear powered submarines (SSNs) will have the capability to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing, limited only by their food storage capacity. Able to deploy rapidly, they are powered by a nuclear reactor that can run for their 25 year lifespan without refuelling

Tony Johns, Managing Director of BAE Systems Submarines, said: «It was a pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State to BAE Systems and to accompany him on a tour of Artful and our world-class submarine building facilities. The design and build of a nuclear powered submarine is the pinnacle of technology, engineering and manufacturing excellence. It is a hugely complex programme of enormous national significance. When Artful was launched, it was done so in a more advanced state of build than any other submarine we have built, so it was a proud moment to be able showcase the progress we are making across the Astute programme and we will continue to look for ways of improving our efficiency and effectiveness. Today’s visit is recognition of the hard work by everyone at BAE Systems, our submarine partners, the Royal Navy crew and the hundreds of businesses in our supply chain network».

This is an exciting time for BAE Systems in Barrow. As well as Astute, the Company is undertaking £300 million-plus of facilities investment in readiness for the start of construction on Successor – the programme to replace the current fleet of Vanguard submarines, which carry the UK’s strategic national deterrent. BAE Systems is leading the design phase of this programme and has more than 1,500 people currently working on it.

HMS Astute (S119)
HMS Ambush (S120)
HMS Artful (S121)
Audacious (S122)
Anson (S123)
Agamemnon (S124)
Ajax (S125)

The Astute class is designed and engineered to be the stealthiest submarine of her type, equipped with the latest and most powerful sonar suite and secure communications facilities, while exhibiting a low noise signature and optimum detection avoidance characteristics

Ground Forces

American HERCULES

July 11, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract worth $110.4 million to convert 36 M88A1 Recovery Vehicles to the M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift Evacuation Systems (HERCULES) configuration.

BAE Systems will convert M88A1 recovery vehicles to the M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift Evacuation System configuration

«The HERCULES is an integral part of the U.S. Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) and essential to its recovery missions as the fleet becomes heavier», said John Tile, director of Recovery Programs at BAE Systems. «This award continues the Army’s stated objective to pure-fleet its M88s to the more capable HERCULES configuration».

The fleet of ABCT vehicles is getting heavier, making it increasingly important that the recovery fleet is upgraded to support it. The HERCULES, which provides recovery support to soldiers in the field, is the only vehicle able to recover the M1 Abrams tank and the heaviest Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) variants in a combat environment.

The M88 plays a critical role in the company’s efforts to maintain the Combat Vehicle Industrial Base by supporting a team of highly skilled professionals and protecting the affordability of the Army’s combat vehicles. The support of Congress and the Army to protect these vital capabilities through M88 upgrades helps sustain the workforce at BAE Systems’ facilities and ensures that they will be available for future programs.

Work on the contract is expected to begin immediately by the existing workforce and will take place primarily at the company’s York, Pennsylvania, and Aiken, South Carolina, facilities. Deliveries will begin in January 2017 and continue through October 2017.

BAE Systems is under contract for 770 army vehicles and 100 for the US Marine Corps. So far it has completed 680 for the army, which has a pure fleet objective of 933 M88A2s

M88A2 HERCULES

The M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System (HERCULES) improved Recovery Vehicle is the recovery system of choice for today’s 70-ton combat vehicles. With the lowest acquisition, operational and maintenance cost of any 70-ton capable recovery system, HERCULES answers the need for cost-effective, self-supporting heavy recovery performance.

The HERCULES was the primary 70-ton recovery system during Operation Iraqi Freedom. And, U.S. troops found a few other creative uses for its capabilities when they used it to pull down the Saddam Hussein statue in Baghdad on April 9, 2003. HERCULES utilizes a hull designed for the recovery mission and thoroughly proven by U.S. Army testing. Stability and performance are unmatched by any alternate tank-based design.

HERCULES offers operational and logistics commonality with the existing M88A1 fleet, simplifying training and parts availability. Key upgrades include improved power-assisted braking, improved steering, improved electrical system and increased engine horsepower.

HERCULES features overlay armor protection, ballistic skirts, a longer 35-ton boom, a 140,000-pound/63,504-kg constant pull main winch with 280 feet/85 m of cable, and an auxiliary three-ton winch to aid main winch cable deployment. The M88A2 HERCULES is built and equipped to be the world’s recovery champion.

Navy

Travelling to Sydney

July 1, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

NUSHIP Adelaide, one of two Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships being built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), left BAE Systems Williamstown (17 June) to begin sea trials. After some initial trials in Port Phillip Bay, HMAS Adelaide (L01) will spend ten days on the water travelling to Sydney.

The second ship, HMAS Adelaide, is planned to commission in 2016

The current testing precedes a second period of sea trials in August, ahead of delivery to the Royal Australian Navy later this year. The sea trials are conducted under a number of scenarios; some require the ship in certain conditions and/or water depths while others require the ship’s systems in specific configurations.

In Sydney, HMAS Adelaide (L01) will be dry docked so her hull and flight deck can be cleaned and painted. NUSHIP Adelaide will then set sail and undertake more sea trials on the return voyage to Williamstown, arriving in mid-July. The August sea trials will focus on communication and combat systems.

BAE Systems Director of Maritime, Bill Saltzer said: «We will undertake approximately 240 hours of testing over 20 days to ensure all systems perform to their capability. Some of the trials will run concurrently and cover everything from basic systems operations such as alarms, to the ship’s manoeuvrability while at sea. We are on track to deliver NUSHIP Adelaide at the end of September this year. The ship is even more ready than HMAS Canberra (L02) was for her first sea trials, reinforcing that we have implemented lessons learned from the first of class and we have continued to improve our productivity».

The LHDs are the largest warships ever to be built for the RAN. As the prime contractor, BAE Systems has worked closely with the Defence Materiel Organization to deliver the project with subcontractors Navantia, which constructed the hulls in Spain, SAAB and L3, which supplied the combat and communications systems respectively.

These 27,000-tonne ships will be able to land a force of over 1,000 personnel by helicopter and watercraft, along with all their weapons, ammunition, vehicles and stores

Platform Characteristics

Length Overall 757 feet/230.8 m

Length Waterline 680 feet/207.2 m

Beam 105 feet/32 m

Design Draft 23.5 feet/7.18 m

Full Load Displacement 27,831 tonnes

Crew and Embarked Forced Accommodation 1,403

Machinery

Propulsion 2 × Siemens 11,000 kW PODs

Bowthruster 2 × 1,500 kW Brunvoll/Siemens motors

Stabilisers 2 × Fincantieri

Generators 1 × 22,000 kW GE LM2500 Gas Turbine and 2 × 7,680 kW Diesel

Integrated Platform Management System Navantia – Sistemas

Fresh Water 6 × Reverse Osmosis Plants (each 25 tonnes/day)

Sewage 2 × Treatment Plants

The largest ships ever built for the Royal Australian Navy, the LHDs are being built as a collaboration between Navantia and BAE Systems – Maritime

Performance

Maximum Speed 20+ knots/23+ mph/37+ km/h

Economic Speed 15 knots/17 mph/28 km/h

Maximum Range 9,250 NM/10,644 miles/17,131 km

Endurance 45+ days

Capacity

Flight Deck 4,750 m²/51,128.57 feet²

Dock (including ramp) 1,165 m²/12,540 feet²

Heavy Cargo Garage 1,410 m²/12,270.86 feet²

Light Cargo Garage 1,880 m²/20,236 feet²

Hangar 990 m²/10,656.27 feet²

Garages, Hangar and Well Dock 1,350 lane metre (2.9 m wide)

General Store Rooms 1,079 m²/11,614.26 feet²

Future Growth Margin 672 tonnes

The flight deck has been configured with six spots on the port side for medium sized aircraft such as the NRH 90 or Blackhawk, which allows for simultaneous take-off and landing operations; alternatively it can support simultaneous take-off and landing operations of four CH-47 Chinooks

Navy

Mighty engine

June 30, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

The 65,000-tonne future flagship of the Royal Navy has undergone months of preparation work by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA) to start the first of her four diesel engines, which are directly coupled to the generators. Together, each power unit weighs approximately 200 tonnes – the weight of two medium size passenger jets.

The first, HMS Queen Elizabeth, was named on 4 July 2014, with her ship commissioning planned for 2017, and an initial operating capability expected in 2020

Minister of State for Defence Procurement, Philip Dunne, officially started the first of the ship’s four diesel generators at the home of the UK’s aircraft carrier programme in Rosyth, Scotland on June 25, bringing the ship to life for the first time.

He also announced that BAE Systems has been awarded a £5.5 million contract to install a new Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) to assist in the controlling and monitoring of all ship movements within Portsmouth Harbour and the Eastern Solent to prepare for the arrival of the carrier, around the end of 2016, beginning of 2017.

Mr. Dunne said: «It is a real pleasure to be back in Scotland, home of the UK’s shipbuilding industry, to witness the impressive progress that is being made on our new aircraft carriers. Powering up the diesel generator today marks an important milestone on the journey to bring these highly versatile ships into service with our Armed Forces. They will be the largest, most capable and effective surface warships ever constructed in the United Kingdom. The build programme is supporting thousands of jobs across the country, with over 4,000 of those jobs at Rosyth and the Clyde».

The diesel generator sets will provide sufficient electrical power to drive the ship at cruise speeds (25 knots/29 mph/46.3 km/h), but when higher speed is required, two Gas Turbine Alternators will also be used. Together they will produce 109 MW of power, enough to power a medium-sized town.

Rear Admiral Henry Parker, DE&S Director of Ship Acquisition, said: «Every milestone achieved on HMS Queen Elizabeth brings us a step closer to her becoming an operational warship. A great deal of hard work has taken place to bring us to this stage and, with good progress also being made on HMS Prince Of Wales, we are moving ever closer towards these magnificent ships joining the Fleet and becoming the centerpiece of Britain’s future military capability».

The separation and distribution of power generation machinery on the QE Class increases the survivability of the ships, while the electric propulsion system enables the prime movers to operate more efficiently, reducing less fuel consumption and running costs

To the end of May 2015, the Ministry of Defence had paid around £3.12 billion to BAE Systems on the Clyde (c. £1.925 billion) and to Babcock at Rosyth (c £1.194 billion) on the Queen Elizabeth Carrier (QEC) programme. Our estimates for the level of remaining work in Scottish yards are currently being updated. QEC work is estimated to support directly some 4,000 jobs and hundreds of apprentices at the Rosyth and Clyde-based shipyards.

The VTMS contract is the latest development in the partnering agreement between BAE Systems, the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence (MoD) to modernise HM Naval Base Portsmouth and prepare for the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08).

The new system installation, which is to be completed early 2016, is designed to provide the Queen’s Harbour Master and the Vessel Traffic Service team with the situational awareness they require to control the vessels in their operational area.

Following sea trials (from 2017) and First of Class Flying Trials for helicopters and the F-35B Lightning II (starting in 2018), HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) will undertake a coherent build up towards achieving an Initial Carrier Strike Capability in 2020.

Second of class HMS Prince Of Wales (R09) is now almost half-complete at 30,000 tonnes, the forward island was installed in May 2015 forming the iconic carrier shape of the vessel. Initial Operating Capability (IOC) of HMS Prince Of Wales (R09) is expected in 2023.

The aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) and HMS Prince Of Wales (R09) are being delivered by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, a unique partnering relationship between BAE Systems, Thales UK, Babcock and the Ministry of Defence.

Weapons and sensors

Mission systems complex

Artisan 3D medium range radar

S1850m long-range radar

Navigation radar

Highly mechanized weapon handling system

Phalanx automated close-in weapons systems

30-mm guns & mini guns to counter seaborne threats

Mission capability

Capacity to accommodate up to 40 aircraft

280-m flight deck, capable of landing Chinook and Merlin helicopters

Aviation store

Hangar, capable of accommodating and maintaining fixed and rotary wing aircraft

Aircraft lifts (forward and aft)

Diesel generator on board HMS Queen Elizabeth

Propulsion

2 × Rolls Royce MT30 gas turbines (36 MW/48,000 hp)

4 × Wartsila diesel generator sets (2× 9 MW/12,000 hp & 2 × 11 MW/15,000 hp)

2 × 33 tonne propellers

4 × advanced induction motors

Accommodation

Accommodation for 1,600 personnel

Dedicated accommodation and facilities for embarked forces

Hospital area incorporating eight bed medical suite, operating theatre and dental surgery

Recreational facilities including fitness suites and cinema

Main dimensions

Displacement 65,000 tonnes

Length 280 m/918.63 feet

Maximum beam 70 m/229.66 feet

Crew size 679

Embarked forces up to 921

Performance

Top speed 25 knots/29 mph/46 km/h

Range 10,000 NM/11,508 miles/18,520 km

Navy

Offshore Patrol Vessel

June 12, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

The United Kingdom Secretary of State formally started construction of HMS Medway, the second of three River Class Batch 2 vessels (Offshore Patrol Vessel – OPV), by operating the plasma steel-cutting machine at an event attended by representatives from the Royal Navy, the local community and BAE Systems employees.

Construction of the first of class vessel HMS Forth is now well underway with its first unit transferred into the Ship Build Outfit Hall in Glasgow

Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, said: «These new ships are an important part of the £160 billion we are investing over the next decade in the equipment our armed forces need. The contract will benefit the dedicated workers of the Clyde, their families and the local economy in Glasgow. And the investment will ensure these shipyards continue to develop into world class engineering facilities at the heart of a thriving British naval shipbuilding capability».

Mick Ord, Managing Director at BAE Systems Naval Ships, said: «This is a proud day for everyone working on this important programme to deliver three new ships to the Royal Navy. The pace of progress on the River Class vessels reinforces the naval design, engineering and manufacturing skills we have in the UK. We are working closely with our Trade Unions, the Ministry of Defence and partners in the supply chain as we continue to build on our proud shipbuilding heritage. With investments in new technologies, cutting-edge processes, new ways of working and improved facilities we are transforming the way we design and build warships. This will enable us to deliver equipment of the highest quality at the lowest possible cost, helping to secure the long-term future of our highly skilled industry in the UK».

Construction of the first of class vessel HMS Forth is now well underway with its first unit transferred into the Ship Build Outfit Hall in Glasgow last week. The vessel is now being assembled alongside the final sections of the second Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier, which will be delivered to Rosyth during the course of this year.

BAE Systems completed the delivery of three OPVs to the Brazilian Navy in 2013 based on a similar design to those now under construction for the Royal Navy

The 90.5-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel is based on a proven BAE Systems design, which is already in service with the Brazilian Navy and Royal Thai Navy. Engineers at BAE Systems have modified the design to meet the requirements of the Royal Navy in support of UK interests both at home and abroad. The OPVs will be globally deployable and capable of ocean patrol with a range of in excess of 5,500 nautical miles/6,329 miles/10,186 km and a maximum speed of 24 knots/27.6 mph/44.4 km/h.

The vessels will include a modified flight deck capable of operating the latest Merlin helicopters, larger stores and more accommodation for embarked troops. They will also be the first ships to be built with a BAE Systems designed operating system called Shared Infrastructure, which will be rolled out across the Royal Navy’s surface fleet over the next 10 years. Shared Infrastructure is a state-of-the-art system that will revolutionize the way ships operate by using virtual technologies to host and integrate the sensors, weapons and management systems that complex warships require. Replacing multiple large consoles dedicated to specific tasks with a single hardware solution, reduces the amount of spares required to be carried onboard and will significantly decrease through-life costs.

The manufacturing contract for the three 2,000-tonne ships was announced in August 2014 and construction of first of class HMS Forth began in October 2014. The production of HMS Trent, the third River Class ship, is expected to begin by the end of this year. The first ship is due to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2017.

The three vessels are ideal for performing maritime security in British territorial waters

As the first steel is cut for HMS Medway, take a look back at the progress across the River Class Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessel programme

Navy

Bofors for Macae

May 24, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to produce and deliver five Bofors 40 Mk-4 Naval Guns for the Brazilian Navy’s 500T «Macae» Class Patrol Vessels. The 40 Mk-4 gun is the latest naval version of the successful Bofors 40-mm Gun that is used by many Navies and Coast Guards around the world.

The system is vital for defence against hostile ships, attack aircraft, anti-ship missiles and shore targets

«The versatility of our new 40-mm Naval Gun and Ammunition System is attractive to customers around the world», said Lena Gillström, managing director of Weapon Systems, Sweden at BAE Systems. «This award illustrates our strong position as a leading naval gun provider in the Americas».

Series production for the guns starts immediately with deliveries beginning in 2016 and continuing through 2018. A portion of the manufacturing of parts, subsystems, as well as final assembly and test will take place in Brazil through BAE Systems’ new and long-term partners. The company recently teamed with Ares Aeroespacial e Defensa S.A. of Rio de Janeiro for manufacturing, assembly, and installation, as well as after-sales activities for the 40 Mk-4 guns.

«This local production for the naval guns illustrates our commitment to establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with Brazilian industry», said Llyr Jones, vice president for Latin America and Canada at BAE Systems. «We’re applying similar principles with our other Brazilian programs».

In the last 40 years, BAE Systems has delivered close to one hundred 40-mm Guns to the Brazilian Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, as well as many thousands of rounds of 40-mm ammunition. The company’s programmable, multi-purpose 3P round has been manufactured in Brazil since 1999.

In addition to Brazil, countries currently using BAE Systems’ 40-mm Guns include Japan, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Uruguay, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The weapon is equipped with a superior level of target capability, beyond the engagement ability of conventional gun systems

Bofors 40 Mk-4

Its low weight and compact dimensions combine with a long range and a high rate of fire. It has the capability to rapidly switch between optimized ammunition types, including programmable 40-mm 3P all-target ammo. This delivers high tactical and operational flexibility alongside outstanding survivability, giving ships the advantage in conflicts of any kind.

The Bofors 40 Mk-4 can go from warning to destruction in less than 0.5 seconds. The 3P ammo can be programmed for optimized effect against any target, including airburst patterns for new threats that were previously impossible to engage. The automatically loaded, remotely controlled weapon can also be locally controlled as a backup, equipping the operator for any scenario.

The system’s lightweight and modest size is made possible by innovative features including its electric drive system. It also has a fully digitised modular architecture, providing weapon synergies and future flexibility. Programmable 3P ammo means less round types are needed, reducing transport, storage, weight and space. These aspects combine to provide straightforward, cost-effective integration.

TECHNICAL DATA

STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS
Calibre	40-mm L/70
Weight excluding ammunition	<2,500 kg/5,511.56 lbs
Height	<2.0 m/6.56 feet
Elevation limits	-20 to +80 degrees
Training limits	unlimited (slip ring)
Remote control with gyro-stabilised local control back-up
PERFORMANCE
Maximum range	12,500 m/7.77 miles/6.75 NM
Rate of fire	300 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	1012 m/s/3,643 km/h/2,264 mph (3P)
From warning to destruction	<0.5 seconds
Number of rounds available in gun	≥100
Barrel life	up to 5,000 rounds
OPTIONS
On-mount TV camera
On-mount muzzle velocity radar
6-mode programmable all-target 3P ammunition
Computer-controlled burst pattern
Air burst capability for small boat defence and engagement of concealed targets

100 rounds ready to fire with the possibility to shift between different types of ammunition

Ground Forces

Formula One

May 7, 2015 Dmitry Shulgin

Engineers at BAE Systems have applied the new upgrade «Active Damping» system to current variants of the CV90 combat vehicle family; breaking speed records in rough terrain and increasing the CV90’s agility by reducing the vehicle’s pitch acceleration by approximately 40 per cent – taking a world class system to the next level, and leaving competitors behind.

In a world first, tracked military vehicles are being upgraded with technology adapted from Formula One to improve handling and speed across the battlefield

First introduced into Formula One in the 1990s, the «Active Damping» system works by sensing the speed of the vehicle and lay-out of the terrain ahead and responding by pressurising the suspension to keep the vehicle on a level plane at all times.

This increased stability across all terrain is helping to reduce the wear and tear on the armoured vehicles and subsequently reduce through-life repair costs for each vehicle, despite seeing each able to travel 30 – 40 per cent faster on rough terrain.

For the crew of a CV90, the technology means a smoother ride and a reduction in fatigue; an important factor on the battlefield. The reduced vertical motion also increases the gunner’s probability of finding and hitting targets.

F1 technology adapted to Armoured Combat Vehicles by BAE Systems

The suspension system usually operates on carbon fibre racing cars weighing no more than 700 kg, but engineers at BAE Systems have cleverly adapted it to use on heavy tracked vehicles, some weighing as much as 35 tonnes. In recent trials a CV90 fitted with active damping set a new speed record on a rough terrain course, beating the Main Battle Tanks (MBTs).

Dan Lindell, CV90 Platform Manager at BAE Systems, said: «Adapting the Active Damping system for the first time from a light weight car to a heavy tracked vehicle such as CV90 was a unique challenge for us, but this advanced technology will deliver results to our customers in terms of vehicle performance and savings on the through life costs, as well as providing real benefits to the front line solider».

The CV90 is designed and built by BAE Systems in Sweden and is one of the largest families of armoured combat vehicles. CV90 is currently used in countries such as Norway, Finland and Denmark and has successfully performed in global operations including UN and NATO collaborations.

Specifications

Top speed: 43.5 mph/70 km/h

Range: 559 miles/900 km

Payload: 16 tonnes

Ballistic: > 5

Mine: > 4a/4b

Trench crossing: 2.6 m/8.5 feet

Step climbing: 1.1 m/3.6 feet

Fording: 1.5 m/4.9 feet

Remote Weapon Station (RWS): 7.62 – 40 mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL)

Turret: 25-120 mm/0.98-4.72 inch

No. of operators: 3 + 7

Gradient: 60 %

Power to weight ratio: 17.1-24.2 kW/ton

Electrical power: 570 A

Engine: Scania V8

Operating temperature: C2-A1

Driveline

Steel or rubber tracks: ≤ 28 tonnes

Steel: > 28 tonnes

Semi active dampening

Modern weapons

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