News Story: Damen Team Heads to Australia for Navy Bid

Damen Shipyards Group has sent a high level delegation to meet with key members of the Australian shipbuilding industry as part of its tender for the design and construction of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Australian Navy.

Damen, as one of the three designers competing for the OPV program, is fully committed to consolidating their commitment to Australia. Approaching the delivery of their 100th vessel to the Australian market, Damen has built more than 6,000 vessels, with close to 1,000 of these constructed with partner shipbuilders from all over the globe. Damen, who will be the prime contractor with responsibility for the delivery of the 12 ships has teamed with ASC Forgacs Shipbuilding, a joint venture established to build two ships in South Australia and 10 in Western Australia.

The Damen team comprises Damen CEO René Berkvens, Area Director Asia Pacific Roland Briene and Director Procurement Jacob Biemond. They have been joined by a number of Dutch companies and their Australian partners as they seek to secure the highest levels of Australian content for the new OPVs. 

Read the full story at MarEx

Industry: Australian Navy MATV arrives in home port of Sydney, Australia

MV Sycamore during sea-trial's

26 June 2017: Completing her maiden voyage, the Damen Multi-role Aviation Training Vessel (MATV) MV Sycamore arrived in Sydney harbour early on Monday morning. The 94-metre long vessel is now less than a month away from deployment as a versatile multi-role vessel and helicopter training platform for the Royal Australian Navy.

"It is definitely an impressive sight to see the Sycamore enter Sydney harbour," states Damen Sales Director Asia Pacific Roland Briene. "The MATV project really highlights what can be achieved with this joint team effort. We have accomplished the on-time and on-budget construction of a complex vessel that will provide an efficient, functional and comfortable training platform for the Royal Australian Navy."

News Story: First Steel Cut for Australian Icebreaker

Damen has cut first steel on Australia's Antarctic supply research vessel at its yard in Galati, Romania. 

Damen is constructing the vessel for Serco Defence, a wholly owned subsidiary of Serco Australia who, in turn, signed a contract with the Australian Government last year for the delivery, operation and maintenance of the vessel.

The 160-meter (525-foot) vessel will perform numerous tasks for the Australian Antarctic Division. The new vessel is a multi-mission ship designed to sustain Australia's geographically dispersed stations, support helicopter operations, sustain shore parties on remote islands, map the seafloor and undertake a variety of scientific activities across the Southern Ocean.

To fulfil these diverse roles, the vessel boasts considerable cargo capacity: up to 96 TEUs below decks and 14 TEUs and six 10-foot containers on the aft deck, as well as more above the helicopter hanger and in front of the helideck. 

This represents a substantial increase in container carrying capacity from the Australian Antarctic Division's current vessel, the Aurora Australis, which can transport a total 19 containers. In practical terms, this means that the vessel will be able to resupply two stations in one voyage.

Read the full story at MarEx

News Story: Australia prime minister - Shipbuilding plan is 'an end to the boom and bust pattern'

A Hobart class (AWD) Destroyer under-construction at the

Osborne Naval Shipyard (ASC) 

By: Nigel Pittaway

MELBOURNE, Australia – Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull launched Australia's long-awaited naval shipbuilding plan on May 16, including the construction of submarines, frigates and offshore patrol vessels, costing A$89 billion (US $66.12 billion), in Australian shipyards. 

Turnbull launched the shipbuilding program with Defence Minister Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne at Osborne in South Australia, where the majority of construction work will take place. 

“This is a great national enterprise. This is nation building. This is an end to the boom and bust pattern that we’ve seen with shipbuilding in Australia,” Turnbull said. “This is the largest investment in our defense capability of our Navy ever in peace time.” 

Under the plan, the government will invest in the rolling acquisition of 12 conventionally-powered submarines under Project Sea 1000 (Future Submarine), the continuous build of nine frigates under Project Sea 5000 (Future Frigate) and a follow-on class of surface combats; and a continuous build program for minor naval vessels. 

The minor naval vessels build program is already underway with construction of 19 patrol boats to be gifted to Pacific nations under Project Sea 3036, beginning this year at the Austal facility at Henderson in Western Australia.  This will be followed by the Offshore Patrol Vessel program for the Royal Australian Navy under Sea 1180 from 2018, initially commencing at the Osborne Naval Shipyard and transferring to Henderson in 2020. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: Successful sea trials for Australian MATV

Damen Shipyards Group has announced the successful completion of sea trials of the Multi-role Aviation Training Vessel (MATV) MV Sycamore. The sea trials included testing of all on-board military systems. Following final vessel handover, MV Sycamore will perform diverse training and support duties for the Royal Australian Navy.

In addition to the more traditional elements of sea trials such as manoeuvring and speed tests, the MV Sycamore was put through her paces with an extensive testing programme of all on-board military systems. This included testing of the air traffic radar, flight deck lighting and firefighting, flight deck communication systems and helicopter traverse installation procedures.

The results of the sea trials were successful. All systems and processes of the vessel were accepted by representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Industry: Damen Shipyards Group submits tender for Australian OPV

Damen Shipyards Group has submitted a tender for the SEA 1180 Phase 1 Project to deliver twelve Offshore Patrol Vessels to the Royal Australian Navy. To demonstrate its commitment to on time and within specification delivery Damen submitted its response early.

Damen has teamed with ASC Forgacs Shipbuilding, a joint venture established to build the initial two ships in South Australia and further 10 in Western Australia, to compete for the foundation project of Australia’s continuous Naval shipbuilding enterprise. The joint venture is already investing in infrastructure at the Henderson Shipbuilding Precinct in Western Australia in preparation for the OPV construction to move to WA.

Damen, with almost 100 vessels operating in Australia already, has extensive experience providing vessels that are suitable for local conditions and is fully committed to the long-term integration with Australian Shipbuilding. Key tenets of the bid include maximising investment in local industries and businesses to establish a long term capability; investment in the training of a future workforce including those transitioning from other industries; and assisting the Australian Government to prepare to build future frigates and submarines in SA. The proven Damen design being offered uses innovative technology to improve seakeeping, reduce running costs and decrease whole of life sustainment costs.

Roland Briene, Damen Sales Director Asia Pacific, said: “We are fully committed to maximising Australian industry participation and supporting the development of a sustainable, national shipbuilding industry in Australia. This is fully in line with our standard practices where we partner with local organisations to help transform local shipbuilding industries into globally competitive shipyards. We look forward to working with the Commonwealth to maximise opportunities for Australian industry, drawing on the existing supply chain of our Australian partners, while also providing opportunities for local industry to be involved in our global supply chain supporting more than 70 shipyards around the world.”

Damen

Industry: CIVMEC and ASC shipbuilding join forces for Australian Defence programs

SINGAPORE – 20 March 2017 – Australia-based Civmec Ltd (“Civmec” or the “Group”), through its wholly owned subsidiary, Forgacs Marine and Defence Pty Ltd (“Forgacs”), today announced it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with ASC Shipbuilding Pty Ltd (“ASC Shipbuilding”) to jointly bid for the build of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels (“OPVs”) for the Royal Australian Navy (“RAN”). 

ASC Shipbuilding and Forgacs were jointly chosen by two of the three shortlisted designers to work with them on the tender for the Commonwealth Government’s OPV program, known as Project SEA 1180. B.V. Scheepswerf Damen Gorinchem of the Netherlands and Lürssen Werft GmbH & Co. KG of Germany are two of the shortlisted designers. ASC Shipbuilding and Forgacs will work with both companies on their bids for Project SEA 1180 and also to explore opportunities to build other Minor War Vessels for the RAN and export markets.

Industry: Damen SEA 1180 OPV Roadshow tours Australia

Industry briefings provide the pathway to maximising Australian Industry content

Damen Shipyard Group’s Australian team has delivered two more industry briefings to potential suppliers from Australian industry ahead of its bid submission for the design and build of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels. Following the success of February’s events held in Adelaide and Perth, Damen hosted a third in Brisbane on March 15 and a fourth two days later in Melbourne.

The Damen group is one of three international shipbuilders shortlisted for the building of the 12 steel-hulled OPVs to replace Australia’s current fleet of Armidale Class patrol boats. One of the requirements of the tender process is that the bidders partner with local shipyards and maximise local industry participation. Two of the new OPVs will be built in South Australia, and the remaining 10 in Western Australia.

The two most recent briefings, led by Mark Todd, Damen’s Australian Representative, were conducted with the main objective to meet face-to-face with local suppliers and provide a direct path to Damen’s supply chain for the project. For Damen, the briefings provided the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the suppliers and their products in the different localities. At the same time, the suppliers were briefed on the criteria that Damen uses to select local partners and gained a better understanding of Damen’s approach to maximising Australian industry.

News Story: Damen Schelde delivers frigate to Indonesia

by Richard Tomkins

The first of two Sigma frigates by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding of the Netherlands has been delivered to Indonesia's Ministry of Defense.

The handover took place earlier this week at the PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya, Indonesia, where the vessel was assembled, the company announced.

SIGMA 10514 frigates are about 344 feet long, nearly 46 feet in the beam and have a maximum speed of 28 knots. Their primary mission is anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare.

They are also equipped for maritime security, search and rescue and humanitarian support tasks

Read the full story at SpaceWar

News Story: PT Pal Delivers 1st SIGMA 10514 PKR Frigate to Indonesia (TNI AL) KRI Raden Edi Martadinata

PT PAL delivered the first of two SIGMA 10514 Perusak Kawal Rudal (PKR) guided-missile frigates to the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL). PT PAL built these ships in collaboration with Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS). The ceremony was attended by navy officials, namely Head of the Defense Ministry of Defense Facilities (Kabaranahan Kemhan) Rear Admiral TNI Leonardi, Rear Admiral TNI Tri Prasodjo, Logistics Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral TNI Moelyadi and Eastern Indonesia Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral TNI Sudarwanto.

The SIGMA 10514 PKR frigate was a project initiated in August 2010 by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence. The Ministry awarded a contract to Damen for the construction of the first SIGMA 10514 PKR in December of that year. The first steel was cut by the former Minister of Defence, Mr. Purnomo Yusgiantoro in January 2014 and the keel was laid in April 2014 at PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya. The PKRs are designed and built to endure various missions.

Primarily, the vessel will be operated for Anti-Air Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare, and Anti-submarine Warfare. However, it is also compatible with Maritime Security, Search and Rescue, Patrol, and Humanitarian Support tasks. TNI AL will be strongly empowered by this state-of-the-art maritime capacity.

Read the full story at Navy Recognition

Think Tank:Sea, air, land and space updates (6-Dec-2016)

Christopher Cowan, Thulasi Wigneswaran, Elisabeth Buchan and Alexander Vipond

Sea State

Starting off Down Under, the Australian government released a request for tender (RFT) for 12 new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) last week. In a statement released by Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne, local industry considerations will play a key part of the tender selection process. The RFT requires ‘each tenderer to develop an Australian Industry Capability Plan that maximises the opportunities for Australian industry participation.’ The three shortlisted designers for the new vessels are Damen from the Netherlands and two German firms, Lurssen and Fassmer. The OPVs will replace the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet of 13 Armidale-class patrol craft, at an estimated cost of around $3 billion.

The US Navy’s controversial Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program came under heavy scrutiny during a testy Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last Thursday. The hearing—in which one of the participants stated that the LCS program ‘broke the Navy’—was part of the release of a damning Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the failures of the LCS program. The GAO report questioned the Navy’s decision to move ahead on purchasing the program’s final 12 ships, citing poor performance and continued uncertainty about the future vessels’ cost and capabilities.

AUS: Local industry the focus for Offshore Patrol Vessel project

The multi-billion dollar Offshore Patrol Vessel project has reached a significant milestone with the release of the Request for Tender to the three shortlisted designers.

The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP said the Request for Tender will see Damen, Fassmer and Luerssen team up with Australian shipbuilders.

“We want to ensure the tenderers’ responses maximise Australian industry opportunities through a local build using Australian made steel,” said Minister Pyne.

“The Request for Tender will require each tenderer to develop an Australian Industry Capability Plan that maximises the opportunities for Australian industry participation.

“This includes how they will transition their existing supply chains to Australian supply chains and how they will integrate local suppliers in their global supply chains.

“The project is expected to create around 400 direct jobs and is part of the Government’s commitment to the continuous build of warships in Australia.”

Industry: Australian Icebreaker operated by DMS Maritime to be constructed by Damen

State-of-the-art vessel for Australian Antarctic Division

On April 28 at a ceremony in Hobart Tasmania, the Australian Government signed a contract with DMS Maritime, a wholly owned subsidiary of Serco, for the delivery, operation and maintenance of an Antarctic Supply Research Vessel (ASRV) with icebreaking capabilities. The vessel will be built by the Damen Shipyards Group and will form an integral part of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) programme in the coming years. The ceremony was attended by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julia Bishop and Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt.

Explaining the decision to subcontract Damen for the design and building of the vessel, Serco CEO Asia Pacific Mark Irwin said, “Damen is a leading international shipyards group with a strong international presence. As well as building a broad portfolio of standardised vessels in series, Damen has produced a range of bespoke vessels including scientific, hydrographic, naval and ice ships. Damen and Serco have a strong partnership and over the last ten years, Damen has supplied over 40 vessels used by Serco to support naval operations in the UK and Australia.”

AUS: Prime Minister and Minister for Defence – Continuous Naval Shipbuilding AND Labor's response

The Turnbull Government is securing a sustainable long-term Australian naval shipbuilding industry.

Today the Government is announcing the build locations for 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels and up to 21 Pacific Patrol Boats, in addition to nine Future Frigates previously announced.

These announcements provide for two shipyards to implement the Government’s commitment to a continuous build of naval surface ships in Australia. Major warships will be built in Adelaide and minor vessels in Henderson, Western Australia.

These three projects will ensure Australia retains a sovereign capability to build and sustain its naval vessels. Together they represent close to $40 billion worth of investment in Australia’s future naval capabilities and our naval shipbuilding industry.

They will directly secure more than 2,500 jobs for decades to come. They will also generate thousands of additional jobs with suppliers.

News Story: BAE, Fincantieri and Navantia ships on Australian shortlist

Navantia's F-100: Currently being built as the Hobart class
(AWD) Destroyer and proposed for the Future ASW Frigate

Nigel Pittaway

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne has announced that proposals from BAE Systems, Fincantieri and Navantia have been shortlisted for the country’s program to build nine new frigates for the Royal Australian Navy.

The BAE Systems Global Combat Ship, based on the Type 26 frigate; Fincantieri’s anti-submarine warfare FREMM (Fregata Europea Multi-Missione) and a redesigned version of Navantia’s Álvaro de Bazán (F100) class vessel are vying for the $35 billion (US $27 billion) program.

The ships will be built in Adelaide, South Australia, with the first steel expected to be cut in 2020 and will be fitted with phased array radar systems being developed by Australia’s CEA Technologies.

The shortlist marks first-pass approval of Australia’s Future Frigate program (Project Sea 5000) and the ongoing competitive evaluation process (CEP) is expected to select a winning design, marking second pass approval, in 2018.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: DCNS Targets Australian Frigate Tender

French FREMM (Image: Wiki Commons)

Pierre Tran

Offers FREMM Frigates for $15B Program

TOULON, France — Rand Corp., a think tank, is due to conclude a short list of competitors this month for Australia’s tender for nine frigates to replace the Anzac warship, Hervé Boy, DCNS business development manager, said March 16.

An announcement of a “short list of two or three” candidates is due later this month in Australia’s Sea 5000 Future Frigate Program, he told journalists as DCNS formally handed over the Languedoc, a Frégate MultiMission or multimission frigate, to the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement (OCCAR), the international program manager.

The Languedoc handover took place as the stealthy frigate took to sea for a brief cruise in heavy rain and strong wind off the coast of southern France, with Navy Seals sailing close by in an Ecume rigid inflatable commando boat and an NH90 naval helicopter flying over.

OCCAR delivered the frigate to Direction Générale de l’Armement, the French procurement office, which in turn will hand the warship over to the French Navy.

Canada is also among the export prospects for DCNS, as Ottawa seeks to acquire 15 frigates, of which 12 would be multipurpose and three air defense versions, he said.

The Australian frigate program, estimated to be worth AUS $20 billion (US $15.2 billion), would replace eight Anzac frigates. DCNS is pitching an extended-range version of its frigate, which could be 6,000 to 7,000 tons, and could be 5 to 6 meters longer than the 6,000-ton standard version built for the French Navy and sold to Egypt and Morocco.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Editorial: Indonesia to Export First Ever Warship in Boost for Shipbuilding Industry

BRP Tarlac launching (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Prashanth Parameswaran

The first locally-built strategic sealift vessel will be delivered to the Philippines in May.

Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL unveiled a new vessel Monday which will be the first ever warship exported by the country’s domestic shipbuilding industry.

As I have written before, Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been looking to boost the country’s domestic shipbuilding industry as part of a wider goal of revolutionizing the defense industry (See: “An Indonesian Defense Revolution Under Jokowi?”). The inaugural export of a locally-built warship to the Philippines, set to occur later this year, is a step in this direction.

According to the PT PAL’s director M. Firmansyah, the Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV)-1, a Lloyd Register-class warship built entirely by PT PAL, will be delivered to the Philippine defense ministry in May 2016. It will be part of a contract PT PAL had secured back in 2014 worth $92 million from the Philippine government for the construction of two SSVs after winning an international tender process. The other SSV is expected to be delivered by mid-2017.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Industry: Indonesian Navys first SIGMA 10514 PKR launched at PT Pal Surabaya Shipyard

CGI of SIGMA 10514 (PKR) Guided-Missile Frigate

Damen frigate modularly constructed in the Netherlands and Indonesia in collaborative construction project

PT PAL has launched the first of two SIGMA 10514 Perusak Kawal Rudal (PKR) guided-missile frigates designated for the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL). PT PAL built these ships in collaboration with Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS). The ceremony was attended by the Guests of Honour, namely the Indonesian Minister of Defense, Ryamizard Rycudu along with Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs, Rizal Ramli; ambassadors from neighboring countries; the Governor of East Java, Soekarwo and Chief of the Navy Admiral Ade Supandi.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, Rizal Ramli said: “The Launching of PKR1 is a great momentum for the development of the Indonesian Shipbuilding and Maritime Industry. This has shown that Indonesia has the human resources and skills to develop naval vessels. However, we must still improve our technology and knowledge in order to compete internationally. Certainly, this is what we hope to achieve from our partner DSNS.”

Editorial: The Japan-Vietnam Maritime Security Relationship

By Koh Swee Lean Collin

Can growing ties help Vietnam deal with its South China Sea disputes?

The visit by Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam, to Japan last month marked yet another milestone in an increasingly close strategic partnership. On this occasion, Japan and Vietnam issued a Joint Vision Statement on Japan-Vietnam Relations [PDF] as well as a Memorandum on Cooperation between Coast Guard Agencies. Tokyo also inked an agreement to furnish Hanoi with a 200 billion yen ($1.66 billion) non-refundable aid grant for the latter’s maritime safety in fiscal 2015, while promising to provide additional used patrol vessels to enhance Vietnam’s civilian maritime law enforcement (CMLE) capacity.

What is interesting is that the visit came fewer than three months after Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, where he reiterated Hanoi’s desire to ramp up the bilateral maritime security relationship, including the prospect of acquiring new patrol vessels from Japan as well as seeking the latter’s continued support in the South China Sea disputes. Indeed, in view of the simmering tensions in the South China Sea, obtaining timely Japanese assistance has acquired a new sense of urgency. High-ranking Vietnamese government officials have repeatedly impressed upon their Japanese counterparts this year the need to expedite or even enhance assistance. For example, in March, on the sidelines of the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, Vietnamese Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and Kishida agreed to bolster maritime security cooperation.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: Vietnam Pushes Modernization as China Challenge Grows

A Vietnam built TT400 Patrol Boat 

By Wendell Minnick

TAIPEI — Vietnam’s efforts to modernize its armed forces face numerous political, historical and financial barriers. Many are of Vietnam’s own making — its go-slow policy on human rights issues and democratization, and the Communist Party's reluctance to share power, even though it has embraced foreign investment and capitalism.

Still, growing problems with China are forcing Hanoi to ask hard questions about its future military needs. Since the collapse of the US-backed South Vietnamese government in April 1975, Hanoi has relied on Russian/Soviet-built equipment and support for a wide array of anti-ship missiles, fighter aircraft, tanks and more recently, six Russian Kilo-class submarines.

“Vietnam has a huge military, but most of it is still outfitted with weaponry from the 1970s and 1980s, especially the Army,” said Richard Bitzinger, a senior fellow and coordinator of the Military Transformations Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. Vietnam’s armed forces must now invest steadily in acquisitions for the next decade or two “if it wants to fully recapitalize its military,” he said.

During the 1978 Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and China’s 1979 punitive incursion into northern Vietnam, these weapons were adequate for Vietnam’s needs. But with the fall of the Soviet Union, affordable Russian weapons declined as did the quality, while China’s military modernization effort, particularly naval, strengthened.

The wake-up call came with China’s increased presence in the South China Sea and its recent efforts to build artificial islands for military grade airfields and naval port facilities. China exacerbated Vietnam’s fears by placing a massive oil drilling exploratory platform within Vietnam's exclusive economic zone in May 2014. Now known as the “Haiyang Shiyou 981 standoff,” the incident caused widespread violence in Vietnam as citizens attacked Chinese-owned factories.

Read the full story at DefenseNews