A significant bilateral naval exercise just completed in the Arabian Sea. The navies of Japan and India conducted JIMDEX 2021, the fifth iteration of their joint maritime exercises, which ran Oct. 6-8.

The exercise was led by Rear Adm. Ajay Kochhar, flag officer commanding the Western Fleet of the Indian navy, and Japanese maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Rear Adm. IkeuchiIzuru, commander, Escort Flotilla Three.

India’s guided missile destroyer INS Kochi (D64) and guided missile frigate INS Teg (F45) operated with Izumo Class-multi-purpose destroyer Kaga (DDH 184) and destroyer JS Murasame (DD 101).

According to an Indian ministry of defense press release, the forces were engaging in a high tempo of operations focused on air, surface and sub-surface dimensions of maritime operations as well as the air domain.

“The complex maritime exercises undertaken will enable the two navies to further strengthen their already wide-ranging strategic partnership and, when required, to jointly safeguard their maritime interests and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.”

Both navies share some similar platforms and systems, like the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft. Both navies operate indigenous ships and aircraft, like the Kochi and Izumo, which looks more like a helicopter carrier than a destroyer (at 27,000 tons fully loaded, Izumo is the largest ship in the JDMSF fleet). India’s and the Russian designed stealth frigate Teg and MiG 29 fighters might be representative of potential adversaries.

During the exercises the units conducted over-the-horizon targeting, antisubmarine warfare, naval gunnery and underway replenishment. The ships’ embarked cross-deck landings to demonstrate interoperability. The exercise involved what the Indian MoD statement described as “a high tempo of flying operations with MiG 29K fighters coming in for multiple simulated air strike on surface units.”

India’s cooperation with other navies may be seen as statement to an increasingly competitive China.

“The IOR [Indian Ocean Region] is quickly becoming the home of a contest between India and China,” wrote Aman Thakker in New Perspectives in Foreign Policy, published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “China has made aggressive moves to advance its strategic interests in the region, particularly by gaining access to military bases and strategic ports by employing illiberal and predatory economic practices.

“India now recognizes that it cannot allow China to replicate the playbook it used in the South China Sea and challenge territorial claims and international norms of freedom of navigation, overflight, and unimpeded commerce in the IOR,” Thakker wrote.

It is also significant for Japan in that it is conducting exercises far from home waters and with a nation other than the U.S., which can also be interpreted as a signal to China.

“The complex maritime exercises undertaken will enable the two navies to further strengthen their already wide-ranging strategic partnership and, when required, to jointly safeguard their maritime interests and ensure peace, security and stability in the region,” the Indian navy said in its statement.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia of MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopters and related services and equipment, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Oct. 8.

The deal has an estimated cost of $985 million. Australia has requested 12 MH-60Rs along with their engines, mission systems, guns, space parts, technical documentation, logistics support and others, the release said. 

“This proposed sale will improve Australia’s capability to perform antisurface and antisubmarine warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay,” said a release announcing the approval. “Australia will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.” 

Australia previously ordered 24 MH-60Rs, the last of which was delivered to the Royal Australian Navy in July 2016. 

The principal U.S. contractor will be Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Owego, New York. 

The U.K. Royal Navy is learning the cold facts about operating in the Arctic from shipmates in the Canadian Coast Guard, who have a great deal of cold weather experience.

British sailors are training with Canadians to learn how to navigate through icy waters and how to break ice where necessary, while Canadian Coast Guard personnel will have operational training opportunities and gain experience with crewless technology with the Royal Navy, according to a press release from the Royal Navy.

An agreement to formalize the arrangement was signed between the two NATO nations at the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) headquarters in Ottawa by its commissioner, Mario Pelletier, and Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Nick Hine on Oct. 8.

“I am delighted to sign this agreement that will see the Royal Navy and Canadian Coast Guard work even closer together in the Arctic, sharing and developing our ice experience, as we strive to become ever more interoperable and interchangeable,” said Hine. 

“The Canadian Coast Guard welcomes the opportunity to build on the existing close relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom. Through this memorandum of understanding, we will benefit from the Royal Navy’s operational experience and expertise, and we look forward to sharing our skills and knowledge of the Arctic,” said Pelletier.

The two services have worked together before. In 2020, several Royal Navy watchkeeping officers from HMS Protector, the UK’s sole ice patrol ship, sailed with a CCG vessel to gain experience in ice operations.

“The sharing of the Canadian Coast Guard’s wide experience and expertise will mean British sailors are better equipped when sailing to the frozen region,” the Royal Navy statement said.

Canadian Coast Guard icebreaking vessels, from hovercraft to heavy and light icebreaking and long-endurance ships, keep Canadian ports open year-round, freeing ice-bound vessels, escorting ships through ice-covered waters and maintaining a constant presence the High North during the navigable season.

The Royal Navy has shown a renewed interest in the Arctic region in recent years because of its key strategic importance to the security of the U.K.

“Warships are a regular presence in the region, while Royal Marines train in Norway annually as the U.K.’s specialists in the cold weather warfare,” said the Royal Navy statement. “HMS Lancaster recently returned from a on a 3,000-mile round-trip through the Norwegian Sea and into the Arctic Circle — the latest Royal Navy vessel to head to the High North over the past few years.”

HUDSON, N.H. — BAE Systems Inc. has successfully tested APKWS laser-guided rockets in precision strike tests against Class 2 unmanned aircraft systems at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona, the company said Oct. 11. 

The 2.75-inch test rockets combined standard M151 warheads and Mk66 motors with APKWS precision guidance kits and a newly developed proximity fuze, enabling them to engage and destroy airborne drones at a fraction of the cost of traditional counter-UAS strike capabilities. 

“Unmanned aerial vehicles of all sizes are a growing threat increasingly deployed by adversaries around the globe,” said Greg Procopio, director of Precision Guidance and Sensing Systems at BAE Systems. “The flexibility and affordability of APKWS rockets make them a good choice for taking out small, tactical military drones. Our successful test strikes demonstrate the creativity of our engineers and an innovative and economical use of existing DoD materiel to address an emerging threat.” 

BAE Systems conducted test fires and engineering tests to develop a capable system for U.S. armed forces and allies. The key to APKWS rockets’ counter-UAS capability is the innovative proximity fuze jointly developed by L3Harris Technologies and Technology Service Corp. The fuze combines target proximity detection and point detonation capabilities, and is a drop-in replacement for existing M423 fuzes, allowing APKWS rockets to destroy UAS without the need for a direct hit. 

Unlike expensive C-UAS missiles, APKWS rockets do not need to lock on the target before launch, instead relying on semi-active laser guidance optics that activate on launch, saving warfighters precious seconds when it counts. 

APKWS guidance kits transform unguided rockets into precision-guided munitions with explosive effects and range capabilities that make them well-suited for today’s dynamic military engagements. APKWS rockets have proven combat capabilities and the flexibility to strike a variety of stationary and moving targets from planes, helicopters, ground vehicles, boats, and remote weapon stations. 

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — The Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance (SENEDIA) is offering $2 million in training reimbursement subsidies to strengthen the New England submarine shipbuilding workforce, the alliance said in an Oct. 7 release. Applications are currently being accepted for this Incumbent Worker Trade/Industrial Skills Training Program, made possible through financial support from the Department of Defense Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment National Imperative for Industrial Skills program.  

Eligible employers can receive $30,000 in total to train their current workforce, up to $10,000 per trainee.   

“By investing in our employees today, we are ensuring the strength of our industry tomorrow,” said Molly Donohue Magee, executive director of SENEDIA. “We know that the demand for highly skilled workers in submarine shipbuilding will continue to increase, so we urge employers to take advantage of this exciting opportunity to advance both the skills of their current employees and the prospects of their companies.”  

This funding is available for trades and industrial skills training for New England-based (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) incumbent — or currently employed — workers. Companies that currently support or could support the submarine shipbuilding supply chain are encouraged to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come/first-served basis, with applications remaining open only until the available funding has been exhausted. To learn more about this program or to apply, visit www.BuildSubmarines.com/Training.  

“We were the first organization to sign up for this opportunity, because we recognize that this direct investment in our talent pipeline will pay dividends both in the professional skill of our employees, and in the future growth of our company,” said Colin McClennan, vice president and general manager of Evans Capacitor Company, a division of Quantic Electronics. McLennan serves as the Rhode Island co-chair for the partnership and is the vice chair for Membership on the SENEDIA Board of Directors.  

Tom Spock of CIRCOR is the Massachusetts co-chair for the partnership.  

“Our region is the hub for submarine shipbuilding nationally, and this workforce development initiative serves to further reinforce the strength of our industry in New England,” said Spock, CIRCOR vice president. “I encourage employers across Massachusetts and beyond to reach out to SENEDIA and our growing group of co-chairs to learn more. This is a first come, first served program, so you should act without delay in order to extend this exciting and rewarding opportunity to your employees.”  

Employers that are interested in participating in the Incumbent Worker Trade/Industrial Skills Training Program can also learn more at an upcoming webinar on Oct. 21 at 9 a.m. EST. At this session, SENEDIA team members will walk companies through the process of signing up and accessing funds, as well as helping employers to identify whether they are eligible. To register for the webinar, visit www.BuildSubmarines.com/Training.    

“With $2 million on the table and up to $30,000 available per employer with no matching required, this is a no-brainer for defense industry companies,” said Zenagui Brahim, president of the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a Regional Stakeholder in the partnership. “The New Hampshire MEP and my colleagues across the region are proud to partner with this effort to provide valuable training and education to incumbent workers, while expanding and strengthening the supply chain. If you aren’t sure whether or not you qualify, reach out to learn more before these funds are exhausted.”   

SENEDIA has additionally included a training organization database on the BuildSubmarines website, to help connect training organizations with program applicants. Training organizations that wish to be included in this database can enter their information at www.BuildSubmarines.com/Training-Organization-Form.  

“Small business owners do not often have the time or resources to explore professional development or talent recruitment opportunities. This program, and all the avenues to connect and collaborate that SENEDIA offers, allows employers to expand current capacity and invest in the future success of their workers at no cost to them,” said Christopher Jewell, chief financial officer and principal of Collins and Jewell Company in Connecticut and the Connecticut co-chair for the partnership.  Collins and Jewell will be offering training to its employees on welding quality management and a process auditing and corrective action through this program.  

SENEDIA invites interested organizations to join the Next Generation Submarine Shipbuilding Supply Chain Partnership, the mission of which is to help the New England submarine shipbuilding supply chain with workforce and economic development initiatives. This industry-led partnership is supported by more than 40 regional stakeholders from state/local government, institutes of higher education, and regional workforce and economic development agencies.  

LONDON — Adm. Sir Tony Radakin KCB ADC has been appointed new chief of the defense staff in the United Kingdom by the Queen, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in an Oct. 7 release. He will take over the post from Gen. Sir Nicholas Carter on Nov. 30.   

Radakin has been the First Sea Lord and chief of naval staff since June 2019. Commissioned in 1990, his operational service has involved the Iran/Iraq Tanker War, security duties in the Falklands, NATO embargo operations in the Adriatic, countering smuggling in Hong Kong and the Caribbean, and three command tours in Iraq — both ashore and at sea. He has commanded from lieutenant to rear admiral of ashore, afloat and international forces. This includes HMS Blazer and Southampton University Royal Naval Units, HMS Norfolk, the Naval Training Team in Iraq, the Iraqi Maritime Task Force, Portsmouth Naval Base, and commander of U.K. Maritime Forces and NATO’s High Readiness Maritime Component Commander.  

“I’m delighted to congratulate Adm. Sir Tony Radakin on his appointment as chief of the defense staff, a post he will take up on Nov. 30,” said U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. “Adm. Tony brings an unparalleled wealth of experience to the role at a time of significant change for the armed forces and Ministry of Defence. We are modernizing to address the challenges posed by an increasingly unstable world and I know he will lead the armed forces with distinction in his new post. 

“Adm. Tony has been an outstanding First Sea Lord and chief of naval staff overseeing a period of transformation in the Royal Navy that has seen more ships deployed, for longer, all over the world,” Wallace said. “That includes the inaugural voyage of HMS Queen Elizabeth at the head of our new Carrier Strike Group, which set sail in May.”

“I am delighted to welcome Admiral Sir Tony Radakin as the next Chief of the Defence Staff,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “He has proven himself an outstanding military leader as First Sea Lord and chief of the naval staff and I have every confidence he will be an exceptional chief of the defense staff. Under his command we have more Royal Navy sailors on the front line, more warships at sea — including our two world-class aircraft carriers — and we are leading a shipbuilding renaissance which is creating jobs and protecting lives around the U.K.” 

“I am humbled to have been selected as the next chief of the defense staff,” Radakin said. “It will be an immense privilege to lead our outstanding people who defend and protect the United Kingdom. I would like to thank Gen. Sir Nick Carter for his leadership and wise stewardship of the U.K.’s armed forces over the last three years. 

“I am looking forward to working further with The Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace MP and the rest of the department’s senior leadership team as we modernize the armed forces and implement the integrated review. The government has given us clarity and additional resource to counter the threats we face as a nation. It is now time to get on and deliver.”

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN — The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) held its third Stakeholders Conference for maritime industry professionals virtually from Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Sept. 30, Coalition Task Force Sentinel said in an Oct. 4 release.  

During the conference, industry stakeholders considered topics such as regional security and IMSC’s mission directives. The forum gave participants an opportunity to discuss current maritime challenges from an industry perspective with IMSC’s leadership.  

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces opened the conference by highlighting the role of IMSC’s operational task force in promoting security and freedom of navigation in the Arabian Gulf.  

“Ships under Coalition Task Force Sentinel have been busy conducting countless overwatch transits through critical chokepoints because this is important work,” said Cooper. “Successfully preventing aggression against member-nation merchant traffic is critical to maintaining regional security and stability.” 

The industry-focused conference, with a theme of partnering for better outcomes, featured speakers from the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) and INTERTANKO, an organization that aims to promote safe transport for merchant tankers, cleaner seas, and free competition. 

Royal Navy Commodore Gordon Ruddock, the commander of IMSC, moderated the conference and introduced both Cameron Naron, the director of the Office of Maritime Security at MARAD and INTERTANKO’s Marine Director Dr. Phillip Belcher.   

Naron began his remarks with a high-level overview the MARAD’s maritime alerts and advisories system, the Maritime Security Communications with Industry (MSCI). He detailed how the alerts and advisories were established through a partnership between a number of U.S. Government agencies and the U.S. maritime industry. The system — while designed to more efficiently communicate information on threats in the maritime domain to U.S. maritime industry stakeholders and U.S. mariners — is today used by mariners and shipping companies from across the world, and closely aligned with various regional navigation and safety at sea constructs from across the globe.  

“Our primary audience and the guidance in these is targeted toward U.S. maritime stakeholders, but we publish all alerts and advisories publicly and many are picked up in the maritime press.” he said.  

He explained that MSCI replaced the legacy State Department “Special Warning” and Department of Transportation “MARAD Advisory” system, as well as international maritime-security related information previously published under the U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Information Bulletin system.  

“The alerts are meant to go out to the maritime community very quickly, we usually aim to send them out within two hours,” said Naron, who noted that the last advisory from MSCI detailed how tanker crews could address the recent threat of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles at sea. 

As government agencies continue to explore ways for alerting mariners to threats, industry must continue to manage the wide-ranging impacts of maritime incidents. During his brief, Belcher talked about significant challenges the tanker industry faces in the Arabian Gulf and offered his assessment of how to address threats, vulnerabilities, and risks.  

“The tanker industry is a service industry; we go where our customers need but service doesn’t mean subservient, and we have to look at how we manage and own the risk but it needs to take an intelligent approach to risk,” he said, noting that most threats are external to the industry but that vulnerabilities are still directly owned by tanker companies.  

Types of threats, Belcher explained, could include state actors, rebel forces in Yemen, piracy, the so-called tanker war, and even refugee or migrant crises.  

Belcher added that the coronavirus pandemic had significant impacts on crew morale, shipping of goods, and fuel availability. On a positive note, he mentioned that vaccination rates continue to increase among ships’ crews, which is helping mitigate risks posed by the pandemic. Finally, he noted how critical it was for industry and constructs like IMSC to remain in constant communication and partnership to help counter these threats and risks.   

Ruddock closed the conference with an assurance that IMSC would continue its vital work with industry partners to promote and protect the free flow of commerce; reassure the merchant shipping community through regular communication and response as required; and, through continued partnership, cultivate an understanding of risks and challenges posed to the shipping community.   

“IMSC is committed to refining industry and coalition relationships, cultivating new partnerships, and forging ahead with its maritime security operations,” said Ruddock. “I ask for your commitment to help our task force units identify, document, and respond to activity you may consider to be out of place or a physical threat to normal business.” 

WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia of one EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to replace one lost in a mishap. 

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a Sept. 30 notification the transaction — which would include the aircraft plus “engineering and modification; verification and validation flight test efforts; maintenance and storage; U.S. government and contractor engineering/technical assistance; related studies and analysis support; and other related elements of programmatic, technical and logistics support” — would cost approximately $125 million.  

The EA-18G would be from Lot 38 or later and would be modified to the configuration of the other 11 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) EA-18Gs.  

“This aircraft would replace Australia’s EA-18G A46-311 aircraft lost in an accident at Nellis Air Force Base [Nevada],” the DSCA said, noting the aircraft would come from the U.S. Navy’s existing inventory of EA-18Gs. 

Boeing originally delivered 160 EA-18Gs to the U.S. Navy and 12 to the RAAF. 

ATLANTIC OCEAN – Saildrone Inc. and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have released the first video footage gathered by an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) from inside a major hurricane barreling across the Atlantic Ocean, the company said Sept. 30.  

‍The Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 was directed into the midst of Hurricane Sam, currently on a path that fortunately will miss the U.S. East Coast. SD 1045 is battling 50-foot waves and winds of over 120 mph to collect critical scientific data and, in the process, is giving us a completely new view of one of Earth’s most destructive forces. 

Equipped with a specially designed “hurricane wing” enabling it to operate in extreme wind conditions, SD 1045 is braving Hurricane Sam in the open ocean, collecting real-time observations for numerical hurricane prediction models, which are expected to yield new insights into how large and destructive tropical cyclones grow and intensify. 

SD 1045 is one of a fleet of five “hurricane” saildrones that have been operating in the Atlantic Ocean during this hurricane season, gathering data around the clock to help understand the physical processes of hurricanes. This knowledge is critical to improving storm forecasting and is expected to reduce loss of human life through allowing better preparedness in coastal communities. 

“Saildrone is going where no research vessel has ever ventured, sailing right into the eye of the hurricane, gathering data that will transform our understanding of these powerful storms,” said Richard Jenkins, Saildrone founder and CEO. “After conquering the Arctic and the Southern Ocean, hurricanes were the last frontier for Saildrone survivability. We are proud to have engineered a vehicle capable of operating in the most extreme weather conditions on earth.” 

The saildrones provide data directly to NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Saildrone’s partners in this mission. 

“Using data collected by saildrones, we expect to improve forecast models that predict rapid intensification of hurricanes,” said Greg Foltz, a NOAA scientist. “Rapid intensification, when hurricane winds strengthen in a matter of hours, is a serious threat to coastal communities. New data from saildrones and other uncrewed systems that NOAA is using will help us better predict the forces that drive hurricanes and be able to warn communities earlier.” 

MOBILE, Ala. – Following the acquisition of additional waterfront along the Mobile River in September 2020, Austal USA quickly established a ship repair facility that has had a booming response, the company said in a Sept. 29 release. 

“Almost immediately after word got out Austal USA had purchased the additional waterfront property, we were inundated with calls from commercial captains looking to return to Mobile to have their ships serviced,” said Mike Bell, Austal USA’s senior vice president of operations. “We are pleased with all of the positive feedback we have received from our ship repair customers thus far.” 

Austal’s acquisition included 15 acres of waterfront property spanning almost 3,000 linear feet of waterfront pier space, a 20,000-ton certified Panamax-class floating dry dock, a 300,000-square-foot outside fabrication area, and 100,000 square feet of covered fabrication facilities all just 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. 

While most of the shipbuilding industry associates Austal USA with advanced manufacturing of high-tech Navy ships, many more are now realizing the company has a highly-capable ship repair operation. 

The Austal West Campus repair facility is conveniently located across the river from Austal USA’s 165-acre corporate headquarters providing access to deep water berthing for vessels up to 1,000 feet, advanced manufacturing capabilities including a friction stir welder, CNC machines, CNC cutting tables, and a carpenter shop, machine shop and electrical and pipe shops. The repair facility also boasts heavy-lifting capability with mobile cranes, overhead cranes and wing wall cranes that travel the length of the 668-foot dry dock. 

The services provided by Austal’s Mobile ship repair operation range from conversions and upgrades to advanced ship repair. The machine shop and fabrication areas are fully equipped with overhead cranes, lathes, and CNC plasma cutters. Other technical services offered to the company’s service clients include full-service detail design capability, 3-D modeling, field engineering support and dimensional accuracy control. 

“At Austal USA we have always taken great pride in the quality and value of the new ships we build,” Bell said. “We are now applying that same pride in the quality and value we provide our ship repair clients at our dry dock and repair yard.” 

Austal USA has earned a proven reputation as one of the safest shipyards in the industry, a characteristic that is proudly shared with the new service operation. The ISO 9001:2015-certified Austal West Campus is operated by a highly qualified, experienced ship repair and construction management team, focused on safety and customer satisfaction, maintaining a strong professional relationship with all applicable regulatory agencies.