U.K., France, Norway Order Submarine Rescue System

By AMI INTERNATIONAL INC.

The British Ministry of Defence, together with the French and Norwegian governments, announced June 14 that it had awarded Rolls-Royce an $86.1 million contract for the procurement of the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS). The NSRS will be capable of deploying anywhere in the world within 72 hours to help rescue trapped crewmembers of a sunken submarine.

Perry Slingby Systems Ltd. of the United Kingdom is a major subcontractor in the program and is charged with construction of the submersible at its York shipyard.

The NSRS is based on a 10-meter, 27-ton submersible and will be operated by a crew of three. The submersible will be capable of diving to a depth of 600 meters and rescuing up to 150 sailors in batches of 15. The new NSRS will be the replacement for the British LR5 submersible, which assisted in rescue operations related to the sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk.

In the event that the new NSRS is called upon to rescue trapped submariners, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) will locate the submarine and establish contact with survivors by tapping on the hull of the sunken submarine or by underwater telephone. Additionally, the ROV will be able to take air quality measurements, provide emergency supplies to the survivors and prepare the site for rescue attempts by removing debris from the area.

The NSRS will include decompression chambers, medical facilities and other support equipment. The contract also covers support and operation of the system for the first 10 years. NSRS is scheduled to be in service by 2006, and will have a service life of 25 years.

The United Kingdom, France and Norway will have joint ownership of the NSRS, but Rolls-Royce will operate it via a government-owned/contractor-operated agreement.

Israeli General Staff Cancels Sa’ar 5 Plus Corvette

The Israeli general staff June 28 officially canceled the Sa’ar 5 Plus corvette program. The cancellation announcement stated that the program was not cost effective.

The cancellation comes after the Israeli Navy had changed requirements over the past several years from a corvette-sized vessel to that of a frigate and, most recently, a 13,000-ton amphibious landing platform (LPD).

Budgeting changes for the Sa’ar 5 Plus program have been radical as well. The program began at around $1 billion for up to four corvettes and dwindled to as low as $300 million. The cancellation announcement also assessed the estimated $500 million, 13,000-ton LPD as not being feasible.

Norway Lauches First Fridtjof Nansen Frigate

The first Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate for the Royal Norwegian Navy was launched at IZAR Construcciones Navales Ferrol shipyard. The Fridtjof Nansen is the first of five new Aegis frigates being built for Norway by the Spanish shipbuilder and is scheduled to be operational in September 2005.

Immediately following the launching ceremony for the Fridtjof Nansen there was a keel-laying ceremony for the second ship of the class, Roald Amundsen, which is scheduled to be launched in April 2005. The Roald Amundsen and three additional units are expected to enter operational service from 2006 through 2009, rounding out the class at five units.

The Fridtjof Nansen class is the first ship of its size to be fitted with the Lockheed Martin SPY-1F multifunction radar.

Australian Navy Selects Replacement Tanker

Australian Defense Minister Robert Hill announced June 3 that the Royal Australian Navy had purchased a commercial tanker from South Korea for $34.1 million. The tanker will replace the aging HMAS Westralia under the Navy’s project SEA 1654 phase 2 to upgrade replenishment-at-sea capabilities.

The commercial vessel is a new double-hulled tanker built by Hyundai Heavy Industries. It is 577.4 feet in length, displaces 37,000 tons and meets international pollution regulations that are to take effect in 2009. The vessel was expected to arrive in Australia by July and begin modifications immediately.

The modifications include underway replenishment equipment; naval command, control, computers and intelligence facilities; and a helicopter flight deck. The tanker will enter service with the Navy by 2006.

SEA 1654 was originally expected to replace the HMAS Westralia by 2009 and HMAS Success by 2015 with new vessels being constructed in Australia. However, the defense ministry opted for a new approach with the release of the Defense Capability Plan 2004-14, choosing to procure a commercial, secondhand oiler with modifications being made in Australia and replacement of Westralia coming between 2005 and 2007.

The second half of project SEA 1654 appears to remain intact, with an expected purchase of a purpose-built oiler between 2018 and 2020 in order to replace the HMAS Success.

Nigeria Orders Patrol Craft From U.S. Manufacturer

The Nigerian Navy announced June 21 that it intended to procure 15 Response Boat – Small-class patrol craft from Safe Boat Inc. of Port Orchard, Wash. The first units will begin delivery to the Nigerian Navy by the end of this year with the remaining units in 2005. Total program cost is $6 million ($250,000 per unit).

The Nigerian Navy continues to take delivery of new and used patrol boats and craft as it attempts to revitalize its coastal defense forces and better protect the Niger Delta, source of the nation’s massive oil wealth.

South Korea Speeding Up Mine-Hunting Helicopter Program

The Republic of Korea Navy in June modified its mine-hunting helicopter program. The revised procurement now calls for only six new helicopters to be delivered in 2008. A request for proposal for the program can now be expected by 2006, in order to meet the delivery schedule of the helicopters. The first KDX-3-class destroyer, platforms from which some of the helicopters will be utilized for mine countermeasures missions, also will be delivered in 2008.

Earlier plans had considered a force of up to eight helicopters, with a request for proposal scheduled for 2008 and deliveries of all units in 2011 and 2012.

AMI International Inc., Bremerton, Wash., is an international consulting and naval intelligence services company located on the Web at www.amiinter.com.