veja em www.basemilitar.com.br
Quarta-Feira, 25 de Junho de 2008
Julio de Moura Neto: comandante da Marinha; almirante diz que Força não pode estar presente onde precisa e que, para isso, espera liberação de verba contingenciada
Tânia Monteiro, BRASÍLIA
Britain used to have one of the greatest merchant fleets in the world, with vessels plying their trade all over the globe. Sadly this is no longer the case because new international laws have changed the Merchant Navy beyond recognition.
Successive British governments have accepted these laws with no regard for the consequences to British jobs in the industry and the reduced merchant tonnage now operating with British crews.
It is the International Maritime Organisation which is behind the changes, introducing new legislation which favours Third World tonnage and seafarers.
Initially, training and certification was governed by the Standards of Training and Certification of Watch Keepers which came into force in 1978. This laid down the minimum qualifications required for the certification of marine professionals. These rules served our fleet well and allowed the certification of officers and men in accordance with our trade requirements.
The British fleet had three areas of operation, namely Home Trade (coastal areas including the Irish Sea, North Sea and local trading areas), Middle Trade which covered to the Mediterranean and Black Sea and Foreign Going.
Under the regulations it was possible for people to train and obtain qualifications which would allow them to sail in their relevant level in whichever area of operation they chose. But then the International Maritime Organisation decreed that revisions were needed to harmonise the certificate structures worldwide.
The tonnage limit of coastal vessels was reduced from the original 5000 and 1500 limits to a paltry 500, which has no practical use at all. The limited European Trading Area was revised to Near Coastal which limits people qualified in this area to 150 nautical miles off the UK coast and 30 nautical miles off Eire, where previously it allowed people to navigate vessels across the whole North Sea.
The changes have led to a shortage of qualified personnel and this gap is now being filled by mariners from Third World countries. They benefit from lower costs, reduced college fees and adaptations to the current legislation which favour their naval organisations. These people often have limited English which presents a danger in itself.
Our Merchant fleet is coming to the end of its days because the Government is not standing up and defending the industry.
In the not too distant future, all seafarer, shore-based ship pilot and associated jobs will be filled by foreigners, and one of Britain’s great institutions and the skills that go with it will have been lost forever.
This report appears in the June issue of the British National Party’s monthly newspaper, Freedom
 crédits : © PHILIP PLISSON |
 L'aviso Commandant Bouan crédits : MARINE NATIONALE |
O Navio-Escola “Brasil” realiza, a partir deste sábado, 21 de junho, a XXII Viagem de Instrução de Guardas-Marinha. A cerimônia de despedida do navio será realizada no dia 20 de junho, sexta-feira, na Base Almirante Castro e Silva, a partir das 11h, e contará com a presença de diversas autoridades civis e militares, entre elas o Vice-Presidente da República, José Alencar, o Ministro da Defesa, Nelson Jobim, e o Comandante da Marinha, Almirante-de-Esquadra Julio Soares de Moura Neto.
A Viagem de Instrução é realizada anualmente, a fim de complementar, de forma prática, os conhecimentos teóricos adquiridos na Escola Naval, onde os Guardas-Marinha (GM) habilitaram-se nos Corpos da Armada, Fuzileiros Navais e Intendência, e melhorar suas formações culturais. Durante a viagem – considerada o último ciclo na formação do futuro oficial de Marinha – são ministradas aulas práticas de Navegação, Meteorologia, Marinharia, Operações Navais, Controle de Avarias, Administração Naval e Liderança, bem como possibilita a participação ativa dos GM na vida de bordo do navio.
Este ano, a Viagem de Instrução de Guardas-Marinha observará o seguinte roteiro: Fortaleza, Lisboa (Portugal), Londres (Inglaterra), Barcelona (Espanha), Marselha (França), Civitavecchia (Itália), Tunis (Tunísia), Pireu (Grécia), Alexandria (Egito), Bombaim (Índia), Cingapura (Cingapura), Inchon (Coréia), Shangai (China), Tóquio (Japão), Honolulu (EUA), Long Beach (EUA), Acapulco (México), Cartagena (Colômbia) e Salvador; chegando, no dia 21 de dezembro, ao Rio de Janeiro.
Ao visitar os portos no exterior, além de mostrar a Bandeira, o navio contribui para o estreitamento dos laços de amizade com as nações amigas. Neste sentido, são programados eventos culturais, como exposições e a apresentação da Música Popular Brasileira pelos músicos militares componentes da tripulação.
O Comandante do Navio-Escola “BRASIL” é o Capitão-de-Mar-e-Guerra CID AUGUSTO CLARO JUNIOR, que assumiu o cargo em 18 de janeiro de 2008. A tripulação é composta por 30 Oficiais, 218 Praças e 158 Guardas-Marinha. Participam, ainda, como convidados, um Oficial do Exército Brasileiro, um Oficial da Força Aérea Brasileira, dois integrantes da Marinha Mercante Nacional e, até o presente momento, foram confirmados os Oficiais convidados das Marinhas dos Estados Unidos, Argentina, Chile, Peru, México, Venezuela, África do Sul, Índia, China, Japão, Portugal, França, Espanha, Holanda e Reino Unido.
O Navio-Escola “Brasil” foi construído a partir de projeto desenvolvido pela Diretoria de Engenharia Naval da Marinha do Brasil. Sua construção foi iniciada em setembro de 1981, com o batimento da quilha no Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro. O Navio foi lançado ao mar em setembro de 1983 e incorporado à Marinha em 21 de agosto de 1986, ocasião em que foi transferido à Esquadra. O índice médio de nacionalização, atingido ao final da construção, foi de 60%.
 La frégate de surveillance Prairial crédits : ©Marine Nationale |
 L'Aconit, une frégate du type La Fayette crédits : MARINE NATIONALE |
 crédits : MARINE NATIONALE - Patrick FROMENTIN |
| PortoGente embarca na Escola de Aprendizes-Marinheiros Texto publicado em 17 de Junho de 2008 - 01h38 |
| Andréa Margon reportagem |
|
Já “embarcado”, PortoGente se deparou com uma estrutura organizada e repleta de alunos e professores. O corre-corre é comum. A pressa na realização das tarefas dá um ar de eterno movimento a escola. Mas, a Eames nem sempre foi nesse local. A primeira escola foi instalada nas dependências do antigo Forte de São Francisco Xavier de Piratininga, sob a administração do capitão-tenente José Lopes de Sá. Hoje, o forte abriga o 38º Batalhão de Infantaria. Mas, qual a missão de uma Escola de Aprendizes-Marinheiros? Ela destina-se a formação de marinheiros para o Corpo de Praças da Armada. Depois de formados, eles passam a fazer parte da Marinha do Brasil. Em entrevista ao PortoGente, o atual administrador da Eames, comandante Marcelo Pamplona, fala que o País conta com quatro unidades: Escola de Aprendizes-Marinheiros do Ceará, em Fortaleza (Eamce); Escola de Aprendizes-Marinheiros de Pernambuco, em Recife (Eampe); Escola de Aprendizes-Marinheiros de Santa Catarina, em Florianópolis (Eamsc); e Escola de Aprendizes-Marinheiros do Espírito Santo, em Vitória (Eames). Mas, já forram em maior número.
Segundo ele, a Marinha é diferente do exército e da aeronáutica. A formação do seu pessoal é feita pela própria instituição. Prova disso é que somente a Marinha tem escola, as outras duas Forças Armadas, não. “A carreira é planejada. Pode chegar a oficial”. Anualmente, é realizada seleção pública de âmbito nacional, onde os concorrentes devem ter entre 18 e 21 anos. Antes da criação do Estatuto da Criança e adolescente a idade era inferior, entretanto, a Escola conta com diversas disciplinas, dentre elas, o manuseio de armas, o que é proibido pela Lei. Além da limitação da faixa etária, para ingressar nas Escolas de Aprendizes-Marinheiros é necessário que o candidato tenha o ensino fundamental completo, dentre outros pontos. A oferta de vagas anualmente acontece após análise de cada unidade de ensino da Marinha. Dependendo da necessidade, os números são distribuídos e os aprovados alocados. A Eames, este ano, ofereceu 425 vagas. A escola tem capacidade para alojar 600 estudantes e suas salas de aula abrigam, em média, 45 alunos, a maioria do Rio de Janeiro. “A procura por parte dos capixabas é pequena”.
Curso O Curso de Formação de Marinheiros (C-FMN) se destina à preparação para o Corpo de Praças da Armada (CPA) e tem duração de um ano, sob o regime de internato. Durante este período, além das aulas previstas no currículo, são realizadas palestras e projeções de vídeo sobre o Poder Naval e diversas atividades necessárias à adaptação do aluno à vida militar. O currículo do C-FMN é constituído pelas disciplinas do Ensino Profissional Básico (EPB) e do Ensino Militar-Naval (EMN). O C-FMN é ministrado em dois períodos, estando o aluno nas seguintes condições: 1º período - Aprendiz-Marinheiro (AM) e 2º período - Grumete (GR). Desde o início do curso são ensinados e cobrados dos alunos os princípios básicos da carreira militar, que são hierarquia e disciplina. As duas primeiras semanas são chamadas de adaptação e os alunos ficam em regime de internato. Depois de 12 meses, o aluno será designado para servir a bordo de navio ou organização militar da Marinha do Brasil, em qualquer parte do território nacional, onde cumprirá um Estágio Inicial (EI), destinado à avaliação do desempenho. A Eames tem muitas outras atividades, incluindo uma clínica médica. De acordo com o comandante Pamplona, cerca de cinco mil pessoas, em todo o estado do Espírito Santo, são atendidas – militares da Capitania dos Portos e seus familiares, e os inativos e pensionistas também. |
We have heard stories in the past where the Collins class has been successful in exercises against US aircraft carriers. Exercises often carry conditions that allow for successful maneuvers against US forces, but they also allow for realistic conditions to prove various elements of a ships technology. RIMPAC 2008 looks like it will be utilized to prove the combat systems of the Collins class submarine. From The Australian:
The navy is nervously awaiting the performance of HMAS Waller under fire, hoping the submarine's new combat system will hold up and end one of thedarkest chapters in Australian defence.Unlike other conventionally powered submarines, the Collins is a true fleet submarine. The class was designed for long deployments, and while the Collins class has been plagued by numerous problems, the combat system is the last piece to be corrected among the many issues the submarines have had.
HMAS Waller will participate in the world's largest maritime exercise, RIMPAC 08, as part of war games involving 10 nations over five weeks from June 27.
HMAS Waller is the first of the navy's six submarines to befitted with the so-called Replacement Combat System, ending a six-year, billion-dollar fiasco caused by the failure of theinitial submarine combat systems.
The flawed combat system was the most serious defect of the Collins-class submarine project and has prevented the fleet from achieving maximum performance during its first 15 years of operation.
The new combat system by Raytheon is modelled on that developed for US navy nuclear submarines with slight modifications for Australian conditions.
It aims to combine the submarine's various arrays of sonars, periscopes, radars and other sensors into a single plotting solution for the commander, making the submarine a far more deadly opponent.
By Yves Clarisse
PARIS, June 15 (Reuters) - France will propose launching a European Union aircraft carrier group and a joint fleet of military transporters as part of efforts later this year to boost the EU military, French defence officials said.
The fate of other French proposals for closer defence cooperation was unclear after Ireland's rejection last week of a key EU reform treaty intended to facilitate better coordination of policy among European nations.
France takes on the presidency of the EU in two weeks and President Nicolas Sarkozy has flagged that he sees bolstering Europe's defence capacity as a precondition for a return to NATO's military structures after a four-decade absence.
Aides close to Defence Minister Herve Morin said negotiations with Britain were well-advanced on creating a European naval group based around either a French or British aircraft carrier permanently on the sea.
Other nations could then contribute frigates, submarines or refuelling vessels as required, the aides said.
Separately, Paris wants to fill longstanding gaps in air transport that have dogged European military operations by creating a fleet of the A400M heavy airlifter which defence group EADS will roll out later this month.
The project would operate on a timeshare basis allowing states to buy operational hours as required, a Morin aide said.
In Berlin, a government spokesman said Germany was prepared to consider proposals it expects French President Nicolas Sarkozy to unveil to create a European Union naval fleet. There was already a joint Franco-British initiative for a fleet, and Germany could play a part in this, pending an assessment of the plans, he said. How large the fleet could be, or when it might be created, was impossible to say, he added.
"We'll have to wait and see what sort of proposals the French presidency unveils," a Defence Ministry spokesman said.
MILITARY CULTURE
France and Britain announced earlier this year a plan to upgrade Europe's fleet of helicopters to allow them to operate in harsh conditions such as in Afghanistan and Chad, where Western security missions have suffered shortages of air assets.
The French defence officials said they were also confident of launching a European satellite observation system that will subsequently be extended to space observation.
Other initiatives are likely to include military training exchanges that would allow, for example, Polish officers to complement their training in France and so help create a common European military culture.
Less certain is a French plan to create a common defence equipment market among a limited group of EU countries, building on existing EU efforts to prise open the bloc's jealously guarded national markets.
That plan was based on the assumption that the so-called Lisbon Treaty of EU reforms will come into force next year, something which is no longer sure after Irish voters rejected the project last Thursday.
Also unclear is whether Britain will back a French push for permanent facilities to plan EU defence operations, which at present are run out of temporary headquarters hastily assembled in whichever state is leading a given mission.
One French source said Paris no longer wanted to create a full-blown EU military headquarters but proposed simply a 50-head team that could be increased to 150 planners for the duration of a given operation. (Additional reporting by Dave Graham in Berlin; Writing by Mark John)
The first Maritime Zone Patrol Vessel Piloto Pardo, built in ASMAR Talcahuano Shipyard, ended up her first test navigation on April 3, after verifying the performance of equipment and systems on board. On January 2008, dock trials were carried out and today the ships continues the finishing stage to be delivered on June 13 this year. During the trials, the ship sailed 81 hours and 20 hours were used for mooring trials. The ship sailed 555 nautical miles reaching the maximum speed during 47 hours. During the trials, the crew also proved the ship maneuverability, endurance, resistance and operational systems of the ship. The results that fulfilled the expectations of the owner and the performance defined in the contract.
Taxas do petróleo que será retirado do fundo do mar já provoca briga entre ministérios, governos e municípios
Kelly Lima e Nicola Pamplona
O petróleo da chamada “camada pré-sal” ainda nem começou a ser extraído e a cada dia esquenta a disputa pela bilionária arrecadação de taxas governamentais que a nova província petrolífera vai representar.
Já existem projetos de criação de, pelo menos, cinco fundos para serem alimentados com recursos desses campos. As apostas são de uma gorda arrecadação, que pode superar os US$ 10 bilhões anuais, calculados a partir das projeções mais otimistas para o campo de Tupi, com produção de 1 milhão de barris por dia.
Somente na primeira fase do projeto, que prevê a produção de 500 mil barris de petróleo por dia entre 2015 e 2020, a arrecadação poderia chegar a US$ 5 bilhões por ano, mantidas as regras atuais, diz o consultor Rafael Schetchman, ex-superintendente da Agência Nacional do Petróleo (ANP). A conta foi feita com a cotação do petróleo a US$ 100 o barril e não considera o aumento na alíquota da participação especial sobre campos de alta rentabilidade, em estudo pela ANP.
No âmbito do governo federal, disputam a partilha de royalties e participações especiais o Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), a Marinha, e os Ministérios da Fazenda, da Ciência e Tecnologia e de Minas e Energia. Esses ministérios já são contemplados hoje com recursos, mas têm propostas de elevar a participação, sob os mais diversos argumentos.
O ministro da Defesa, Nelson Jobim, por exemplo, quer um fundo para a Marinha garantir segurança às plataformas de produção instaladas na região do pré-sal, a mais de 300 quilômetros da costa. Há ainda uma proposta deixada em aberto pela ex-ministra do Meio Ambiente, Marina da Silva, para criação de um fundo de combate ao aquecimento mundial com recursos do petróleo.
“Dado o tamanho potencial dessa reserva de petróleo na camada sedimentar do pré-sal, devemos refletir sobre como usar esses recursos e não olhar apenas para a geração presente”, afirmou recentemente o presidente do BNDES, Luciano Coutinho, defendendo a criação de um fundo nos moldes dos chamados fundos soberanos, criados por países que têm no petróleo uma grande fonte de riqueza, como algumas nações árabes e a Noruega.
Esses fundos aplicam recursos em projetos internacionais e conseguem, assim, manter a riqueza gerada pela exploração do petróleo. Segundo o SWF Institute (especializado em fundos soberanos), cerca de dois terços dos ativos desses fundos estão relacionados com petróleo e gás natural: são US$ 2,142 trilhões, ou 63% a mais que o Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) brasileiro do ano passado.
Para o especialista em royalties Rodrigo Serra, da Universidade Cândido Mendes, a criação de fundos com os ganhos extras dos royalties é justa, uma vez que o petróleo, segundo a Constituição, pertence à União. Para ele, com a disparada do preço do petróleo, as cidades beneficiadas têm hoje receitas extraordinárias, que poderiam ser divididas entre os demais brasileiros.
O município de Campos (RJ), por exemplo, recebeu sozinho, em 2007, R$ 778 milhões. Ele lembra ainda que o aumento na participação especial vai ampliar a concentração de renda. Serra defende a criação de um teto de arrecadação por município, com redistribuição do excedente.
No âmbito estadual, a briga pela redistribuição tem envolvido troca de farpas entre os governos do Rio e de São Paulo. Capitaneado pelo senador Aloizio Mercadante (PT), está sendo elaborado um projeto para alterar as regras da arrecadação, beneficiando o Estado de São Paulo.
“Sugiro a esses (políticos) abraçarem bandeiras mais fortes, que toquem no coração do povo de seus estados”, rebateu esta semana o governador do Rio, Sérgio Cabral.
A legislação hoje divide os royalties entre Estados, municípios afetados e Ministério de Ciência e Tecnologia. Já a participação especial é repassada aos Ministérios do Meio Ambiente e de Minas e Energia, Estados e municípios. Segundo especialistas, o principal obstáculo à redistribuição está no fato de que qualquer mudança terá de ser feita pelo Congresso, abrindo espaço para que um sem número de emendas possa atravancar as discussões.
 Le porte-avions USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) crédits : US NAVY |
HMS Tireless in polar conditions: the fire aboard the nuclear-powered submarine was caused when a unit providing extra oxygen exploded. Photograph: AFP
A fire that killed two sailors aboard a nuclear-powered submarine as it patrolled beneath the Arctic ice was caused by a catalogue of errors that could have been avoided, the Ministry of Defence admitted yesterday.
Paul McCann, 32, and Anthony Huntrod, 20, died when a unit used to provide extra oxygen exploded aboard HMS Tireless in March last year.
Yesterday, a board of inquiry report detailed failures in the "acquisition, manufacture, transport, storage, stowage and logistics management" of the units. The armed forces minister, Bob Ainsworth, apologised "unreservedly" to the men's families.
"These events are unacceptable and it is clear from the board of inquiry and other work to date that the MoD must accept responsibility for what happened," he told the Commons.
"It is right for me to apologise unreservedly on behalf of the department for the actions or omissions which contributed to this tragic incident. I am extremely sorry, particularly to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured."
The fire started when a Scog - self-contained oxygen generator - used to supply extra oxygen when a submarine is under thick ice exploded in Tireless's forward escape compartment. Leading Operator Mechanic McCann and Operator Mechanic Huntrod were killed in the blast, which also injured a third sailor. There had been many previous incidents of faults with the oxygen generators, the MoD report said.
Yesterday's report listed "systematic failings" that it said could have contributed to the accident.
These included:
· The MoD's failure to understand the potential dangers associated with the equipment despite previous problems;
· Almost 1,000 oxygen units that had been condemned as "hazardous waste" were upgraded to be safe to be used. It is not known whether the unit which exploded was one of these;
· Some of the units, which needed to be kept in secure dry storage, were left on a jetty for two weeks;
· There were "quality control" shortcomings at MPL, the manufacturers of the units.
A separate MoD investigation is trying to find out why these failings were allowed to continue and why the accident happened.
Last night Huntrod's parents accused the MoD of gross negligence.
"It is beyond belief that in this day and age our armed forces could be managed in a way that has such incredibly scant regard for the safety of those who enlist to serve their Queen and country," said Alan Huntrod and Brenda Gooch in a statement.
"We feel that if this was in any other walk of life, there would have been a prosecution for corporate manslaughter ... It is clear that there were no systems in place for the safe management of the devices. This would not be acceptable on an oil platform, a chemical plant or any other workplace and it should not be acceptable aboard a submarine.
"In our view the report sets out in clear detail overwhelming evidence of gross negligence making the Ministry of Defence culpable for the death of our son Anthony and Paul, his colleague."
Yesterday's report also criticised the way the next of kin were informed. It said the "defence community" and parts of the media heard about the deaths before the sailors' families, adding that some records held by the Navy were incorrect.
The board of inquiry investigation found the explosion was probably caused by oil that had seeped into the oxygen generator.
It stated: "Despite the presence of warnings about the explosive risk presented by contamination with organic materials, there was no real experience or understanding within the MoD of just how violently a contaminated sodium chlorate candle [oxygen generator] could react."
At the time of the accident HMS Tireless had been taking part in an Anglo-American operation beneath the Arctic ice. After the fire the submarine was forced to surface through an area of thin ice. The injured sailor was airlifted by the Alaska National Guard to an airforce base in Anchorage.
When the submarine returned to its home port of Devonport in Plymouth, Cmdr Iain Breckenridge praised his crews and singled out the injured man.
"If it had not been for [his] outstanding efforts ... the consequences of this incident may have been much worse," the report said. "The small fires caused by the explosion could easily have taken hold and a major conflagration ensued, with very serious consequences, if [name withheld] had not had the stamina and presence of mind to use all available means to extinguish them."
The MoD said that since the accident measures had been put in place to improve safety, and it was launching its own inquiry to discover what had caused the explosion.
"We are already rolling out new oxygen generators, with improved packaging and instructions," said a spokesman. "These changes will be reinforced in the near future with improved training in use of oxygen generators and understanding of potential dangers."
Inside the Navy is reporting the LSDs will soon be modernized.
All 12 ships in both the Whidbey Island (LSD-41) and Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) classes will undergo a major gutting of their obsolete steam boiler and electrical systems, as well as other upgrades and capability additions to meet mission requirements through 2038, according to Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). One ship will undergo modernization this year beginning in July, two ships will follow each year in fiscal year 2009 through FY-13, and the last ship will be finished in the first quarter of FY-14.Some of the improvements are described in the article.
The ships will also get an overhaul to their electrical systems, with a new generator and digital-control system.A couple of things caught our attention in the article. First on the modernization itself, this is much needed. The lack of bandwidth on the LSDs is a big problem and a complaint we have heard more than a few times. The condition of the LSDs has been described as poor, and the use of these platforms has increased under the Bush administration from the heavy use during the Clinton administration. Many experts believe these platforms will require more than one major overhaul to actually serve until 2038 as described.
New capabilities for the ship will include DEXTER, a technology from Military Sealift Command that provides sophisticated and predictive monitoring of the diesel engine, and Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle integration. Requirements for the latter are still being determined, Walker said.
The more-than-$660 million program will alternate ship overhauls between Norfolk, VA, and San Diego, CA.
St Albans set for sea trials after refit
Following a year long refit, HMS St Albans is ready to take to the water again for sea trials which will put the multi million pound raft of upgrades through their paces.
This work included some significant firsts for a Type 23 at Rosyth; challenges which saw industry and MOD teams come together to answer promptly and successfully.
The MOD contract, worth around £10 million, engaged Babcock Marine in Rosyth on the ship's year long docking period which included:
An extension to the scope of the original contract was negotiated to add yet further to the Type 23 frigate's capabilities as a first class warship, which was turned around in rapid time.
Defence Equipment and Support's Surface Combatants Director Commodore Graham Peach said, "This was a significant work package which puts HMS St Albans, the newest of the Type 23s, at the forefront of the fleet of frigates."
The refit contract was awarded to Babcock as part of the Surface Ship Support (SSS) project under which the MOD works with industry to allocate work packages to achieve affordable, sustainable support for the fleet.
Ready for Sea Date inspections were successfully completed on 30 May 08 and HMS St Albans will now embark upon six weeks of sea trials.
The Type 23 is the largest class of frigate constructed for the Royal Navy since the Leander class and provides the backbone of the Royal Navy's anti-submarine frigate force.
Designed to carry out anti-submarine operations in the North Atlantic using towed array sonar to locate targets, they were the first 'stealthy' ships to enter service in the RN - equipped with electric motors they are able to cruise slowly and extremely quietly while hunting submarines and have a hull and superstructure angled off the vertical to reduce radar reflectivity.
High oil prices have hit the French Navy in the wallet, and as a result the French are canceling a few exercises. IHT has the story.
The French Navy has canceled three summer missions, including an exercise with the United States, because of soaring fuel prices, a Navy official said Monday.The De Grasse exercise profile included participation in JTFX08, which will also involve French Naval aviation. The naval aviation aspect of the exercise will continue as planned. However, the part of the article that really got our attention came several paragraphs later.
"All of our missions are important, but we had to cut those that were least crucial," said Navy spokesperson Pascal Subtil.
The most significant of the canceled missions involves a training mission in the United States. French ship De Grasse had been slated to sail alongside American ships in an exercise off the east coast and take part in a drug-trafficking prevention mission.
NATO spokesman James Appathurai said he was unaware of any discussions on the impact of rising fuel costs on missions of the military alliance.Say what? There should be general concern in NATO, high energy prices are a serious problem and can have rippling economic effects globally. The world has spent the last decade discussing the possibility of global war due to resource shortages and competition, and NATO isn't much concerned?
"I don't think there is a general concern in NATO about this," he said.
Two Royal Navy warships have been left all at sea - after their missiles were removed to save cash.Actually it appears you can Mike. This reminds us a bit too much of how the Clinton administration took the one armed bandit off the Perry's. Understandable? Yes. Wise? Not even.
The destroyers HMS Exeter and HMS Southampton have been working without their Sea Dart guided-missiles since Christmas.
Hms Exeter has since sailed to the Mediterranean twice and joined a NATO-led operation. The situation has provoked anger from defence sources who claim the Navy is suffering from short-term cost-cutting.
Rear Admiral David Bawtree, former Commander of Portsmouth Naval Base, said: "It seems to be a sign of the times that there is a lack of willingness to spend money."
Local MP Mike Hancock said: "You cannot have ships deploying without important equipment."
This is the statement released by the Navy on Friday.
Navy officials have nearly completed a comprehensive damage assessment following the shipboard fire aboard George Washington that occurred on May 22 while at sea. The source of the fire has not yet been determined, but the fire was located in a ventilation intake/exhaust trunk that led from the lower decks of the ship to a ventilation port on the ship's outer hull several decks above. In addition to providing a ventilation path for non-critical machinery components that are located below the ship's waterline, the trunk has numerous piping and cabling runs located within it.Additionally the following photo's were released. Click each for details courtesy of the Navy.
Damage to USS George Washington is primarily electrical in nature with some associated structural and mechanical repairs required. Fire and heat affected electrical cabling and components running through approximately 80 spaces of the more than 3800 total spaces on the carrier. The heat generated by the fire damaged a small portion of interior structural plating which will require either repair or replacement. Piping and related valves that were exposed to heat from the fire have been inspected and will require a minimal amount of repairs. Electrical cables in the vicinity of the intake/exhaust trunk were damaged and will require repair and in some cases, replacement.
From the limited picture angles, the repairs are going to be time consuming. The wiring and piping in particular is not going to be easy or fast to replace. The rest of what we are seeing here can be repaired much faster
OUR son is a member of the crew of HMS Superb and was serving on board the submarine when she was involved in an incident in the Red Sea earlier this week.
We would like to place on record our gratitude to the excellent family outreach undertaken by the Royal Navy and the MOD following the incident. We received immediate calm and reassuring advice from expert personnel who ensured that all of our questions that could be answered were.
We would especially like to offer our heartfelt thanks to the men and women who built HMS Superb and those who continue to work on submarines in the yard.
We dare not imagine the consequences had the submarine’s hull failed on the impact, and it is a testament to the skill, expertise, dedication and craftsmanship of those workers that it did not, and that the crew will come home.
Whatever the cause of the incident, the crew are determined to bring the “old girl” home.
After all, she looked after them when they most needed it and she was able to because she was built so well; and to those who did that, we will always be grateful.
A Marinha do Brasil é a mais antiga das Forças Armadas do País. E a Escola de Aprendizes-Marinheiros (Eames) uma das mais tradicionais. A primeira, no Espírito Santo, surgiu e 1862. Para saber um pouco mais deste universo, PortoGente visitou a unidade, localizada na Enseada de Inhoã, no município de Vila Velha.
O comandante Pamplona diz que a evasão fica em 10% a cada ano e que, por muitas vezes, deve-se a baixa aptidão acadêmica. “A maioria conclui o ensino fundamental através de cursos supletivos. Aqui, além das disciplinas navais, oferecemos reforço escolar. Damos, inclusive, oportunidade para que o aluno faça o ensino médio, necessário para aqueles que querem concorrer (no futuro), internamente, ao cargo de sargento”.