DTN News: New Helmets And Armour For British Troops In Afghanistan

DTN News: New Helmets And Armour For British Troops In Afghanistan

*Source: DTN News / MoD U.K.

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON, U.K. - July 5, 2009: New and improved helmets and body armour which will provide better personal protection and comfort will be making their way to British troops in Afghanistan this autumn. A Royal Marines Commando shows off the enhanced Mark 7 helmet and Osprey Assault body armour at DVD 2009 [Picture: Andrew Linnett, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009] The enhanced Mark 7 helmet and Osprey Assault body armour, which will provide excellent ballistic protection and an improved fit for personnel to ensure free movement, were unveiled at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) equipment show this week.The MOD has ordered over 10,000 sets of the new helmets and armour under initial contracts worth £16m, with companies including NP Aerospace, Morgan Armour Ltd, Aegis Engineering Ltd, Seyntex and Solo International Ltd. Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said: "The Osprey body armour that we issue to all troops on operations provides excellent personal protection, as recent stories of troops surviving due to their armour show. "However, we can never be complacent, and the new Osprey Assault body armour and Mark 7 helmet offer an improvement in the way that these items fit and feel. The contracts that I am announcing today for this new personal protection system demonstrate that we're listening to what our troops need by continuously upgrading their equipment." "Troops will be issued with a new ballistic plate that is much thinner, considerably reducing their bulk and burden and improving their endurance." General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue The updated helmet has the same protection as the current Mark 6A, but will improve the effectiveness of the soldier.

It is equipped with a new harness keeping the helmet more stable on the head when night-vision equipment is fitted to it and is also better integrated with new weapon sights, making it easier to use weapons in a variety of fighting positions. The new Osprey Assault body armour has all the stopping power of the current Osprey but is closer fitting, less bulky and easier to move in. Chief of Defence Materiel, General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue, who unveiled the new kit at MOD's DVD equipment show, said: "Osprey is a proven world-class system and is undoubtedly a success story in terms of providing better protection to our troops. It is specifically developed to meet our requirements using cutting-edge materials and manufacturing technology. The Mark 7 helmet and Osprey Assault body armour from behind [Picture: Andrew Linnett, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009] "Osprey Assault is a development of this success that allows us to ensure our troops are getting the best kit for the job they are doing. Specifically the troops will be issued with a new ballistic plate that is much thinner, considerably reducing their bulk and burden and improving their endurance. "There will also be a new body armour cover to hold this plate and the soft fragmentation armour. This has been designed for an improved fit, based on user feedback, and includes a new system for carrying ammunition, first aid equipment and other vital kit." The DVD event is an equipment showcase organised by Defence Equipment and Support, which highlights the importance of diverse areas such as fuel delivery, clothing, food and vehicles that have been bought or upgraded under the Urgent Operational Requirements programme.

DTN News: Three Royal Naval Ships Deploy To Iraq And Africa

DTN News: Three Royal Naval Ships Deploy To Iraq And Africa

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON - June 2, 2009: Two Royal Navy ships deployed today and one last week on three separate operations to Iraq, the Horn of Africa and West Africa. HMS Kent

HMS Kent is a Type 23 Duke class frigate of the British Royal Navy, and the twelfth ship to bear the name. HMS Kent's lineage boasts sixteen Battle Honours from the three given to the first Kent of 46 guns built in 1653, to the five awarded to the ninth and tenth Kents of World War I and World War II. Sponsored by HRH Princess Alexandra, HMS Kent was launched on 28 May 1998. Built by BAE Systems Marine (formerly Marconi Marine) at Scotstoun in Scotland, she was commissioned on 8 June 2000 and was the first ship to enter Royal Navy service in the 21st Century. She is currently based in Portsmouth under the command of Commander Hopper.* HMS Kent - one of the Royal Navy's advanced Type 23 frigates, sailed from Portsmouth Naval Base today, Monday 1 June 2009, for Iraq where she will be supporting the UK's ongoing commitment to promoting stability in the Middle East. Type 22 frigate HMS Cumberland deployed from Plymouth on 25 May 2009 on its second visit to the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa where she will contribute to a range of maritime security operations including counter-smuggling (arms and drugs), counter-terrorism and counter-piracy.

The Royal Naval survey ship HMS Enterprise also left Plymouth today for at least two years on an extended deployment to West Africa and plans to spend three months in the region before transiting through the Mediterranean to begin operations east of Suez later in the year.

HMS Kent - In the past few months HMS Kent's 174 sailors have been preparing to ensure she is ready to deploy away from the UK for approximately six months, with every member involved with the maintenance, trials and training packages required to ensure that she is able to sustain operations around the world. The ship's primary mission is in the Gulf, assisting the Iraqis in maintaining security around the oil terminals. Although the reduction of UK forces in Iraq progresses, the Royal Navy continues to provide security for Iraq's offshore energy infrastructure and territorial integrity, as well as providing training for the Iraqi Navy. HMS Kent's Commanding Officer, Commander Simon Hopper, said: "My team has worked extremely hard to prepare for what is the Royal Navy's core business, deploying operational warships around the world. Our role in Op Telic is crucial to supporting the recovery of the Iraqi economy and promoting greater peace and stability in the region. "I am also very proud to be representing the UK's wider interests abroad, fostering relationships with our global partners over the next six months." HMS Cumberland HMS Cumberland (F85) is a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1986 and commissioned on 10 June 1989. The frigate was on station during the First Gulf War. Cumberland is part of the sixth frigate squadron and is part of the Devonport Flotilla based at Devonport Dockyard. HMS Cumberland - Since returning to the UK in December 2008, HMS Cumberland has undergone significant maintenance work on her propulsion and weapons systems and received an upgrade to her seaboats. Once this was completed, the ship undertook a six-week trials and training period to ensure that she is prepared to the highest level to undertake this current operation. Speaking before the deployment, HMS Cumberland's Commanding Officer, Captain David Dutton OBE, said: "Cumberland is well prepared for this deployment. We are going to an area recognised internationally as one of the most unstable parts of the world. "However, the UK is committed to maintaining a national and coalition presence in the region and all of us in Cumberland are looking forward to and ready to face the challenges ahead." Cumberland is contributing to a range of maritime security operations which include counter-smuggling (arms and drugs), counter-terrorism and counter-piracy. Cumberland's newly-installed Pacific 24 rigid hull inflatable boats are key to these roles and will allow the ship's embarked Royal Marines and Royal Navy boarding teams, in conjunction with the ship's Lynx aircraft, to intercept and board any vessels suspected of being involved in these activities. HMS Enterprise HMS Enterprise (H88), the tenth ship to bear this name, is a multi-role Survey Vessel - Hydrographic Oceanographic (SVHO) of the Royal Navy. She has a sister ship, HMS Echo. Built by Appledore Shipbuilders under the prime contractor Vosper Thornycroft, Enterprise was launched on 27 April 2002, officially named by the ship's sponsor, Lady Sally Forbes, at her naming ceremony on 2 May 2002, and commissioned 18 October 2003. Enterprise is designed to collect an array of military hydrographic and oceanographic data both on and off the continental shelf, and to support mine warfare and amphibious operations. She is designed and built to Lloyd's Naval Ship Rules. HMS Enterprise - This will be HMS Enterprise's second two-year stint since coming into service. The previous deployment took the ship to Africa, round the Cape of Good Hope, and through the Indian Ocean and the Straits of Hormuz into the Gulf before heading home via the Mediterranean. Since returning early last year, the ship has undergone significant maintenance and upgrade work. She has also completed operational sea training with staff of the Flag Officer Sea Training organisation, culminating in her contribution to the NATO exercise, Joint Warrior, off the coast of West Scotland last month. Commander Adam James, the Commanding Officer of HMS Enterprise, said: "HMS Enterprise is well prepared for this deployment. We will be travelling to some potentially unstable parts of the world and we are ready in all respects to face the challenges ahead. There remains a lot of work to be done in the coastal regions of West Africa and this is also a prime opportunity to enhance defence relations in this part of the world." Once on-station the ship will begin her task of assuring freedom of navigation for military and civilian mariners by using her bathymetric and oceanographic operations. She will therefore ensure access to those parts of the world the UK has an interest in while enhancing defence relations and promoting the wider interests of the UK. HMS Enterprise is an Echo Class survey vessel launched in 2003. She is a watch rotation ship which means she will stay away from her homeport for the whole of the two years with crews relieved direct from the UK, enabling her to benefit from no breaks in her programme. The crew numbers 75 men and women, with about 50 on board at any one time. This class is designed for military oceanographic and water-profile data-gathering using multi-beam sonars. She is armed with guns.

DTN News: Royal Navy Task Force Exercises In The Ganges - Bangladesh

DTN News: Royal Navy Task Force Exercises In The Ganges - Bangladesh

(NSI News Source Info) May 29, 2009: The Royal Navy's TAURUS 09 deployment recently arrived in Bangladesh where sailors and marines took part in a joint naval exercise in some of the most complicated waterways and coastlines in the world. Royal Marines of 40 Commando and Bangladeshi forces patrol the waterways of the Ganges Delta using offshore raiding craft from 539 Assault Squadron to provide protection for land troops [Picture: LA(Phot) Shaun Barlow] Exercise Shomudro Torongo, part of the TAURUS 09 deployment, was aimed at integrating the Bangladeshi and British forces in order to share expertise to combat terrorism and enhance UK environmental training and preparedness for natural disasters in the region. It is the first such interaction between the two nations' naval forces in more than a decade. The five day exercise saw amphibious assault ship HMS Bulwark insert Royal Marines ashore into the Ganges Delta supporting them from sea in a combined training package with their Bangladeshi counterparts. Fast boats and landing craft from 4 and 539 Assault Squadrons Royal Marines pushed the troops ashore and stalked through the riverine environment, supporting a multi-agency search for a 'Contact of Interest'. The environment enabled the marines from Charlie Company, 40 Commando, to practise anti-ambush drills, patrolling and the insertion and extraction of observation posts, culminating in a successful interception and boarding. The exercise was designed to test and train a multitude of cross-governmental agencies, including Bangladeshi security forces, intelligence agencies, police, coastguard and both nations' military forces. Bangladeshi Navy ships, helicopters, Air Force assets and Army Commandos all took part. Support tanker RFA Wave Ruler sat off the coast with a Merlin maritime patrol helicopter from 820 Naval Air Squadron embarked to offer essential CASEVAC (casualty evacuation) support in this complex environment as well as assist in the gathering of intelligence. Royal Navy and Bangladeshi Navy personnel embedded in each others ships for the exercise, providing a truly integrated battle staff. Speaking as the exercise came to an end, Task Group Commander, Commodore Peter Hudson, Commander UK Amphibious Task Group, said: "This has been an ambitious and demanding exercise with some complex hurdles in a challenging coastal and riverine environment. "There has been much to learn on both sides; the Bangladeshi forces have witnessed and learnt from some of the Royal Navy's best practices and in turn the Royal Navy has learnt a huge amount from our hosts, who are far more used to working in such complex waterways. This sort of activity is vital for us - after all, you don't find many waterways such as these in Devon. "All the training objectives were achieved, including the establishment and function of a joint, combined inter-agency command centre, where information and intelligence was shared and analysed between a range of law enforcement agencies. This key objective will assist both countries in their joint efforts to combat terrorism and be prepared for natural disasters in the region." His thoughts were echoed by the Bangladeshi Director, Naval Captain Akhtar Habib, who said: "Shomudro Torongo is the first major joint exercise conducted between the Royal Navy and the Bangladeshi Navy including sister services, paramilitary forces and maritime agencies. "Events like these boarding operations, coastal maritime security operations, joint and combined inter-agency command exercises add significant stride to Bangladeshi Navy capability in maritime security. It has been a resounding success at all levels of exercise." Royal Navy personnel also demonstrated a good example of civil-military co-operation as a team of twenty personnel from HMS Bulwark ventured ashore to assist with building work on a community house in the south of Kutubdia island at Ali Akbardeil village. It gave them a great opportunity to experience at first hand the hardships and living environment of the coastal communities in the area as well as providing a helping hand. The Task Group is now preparing for the next stage of TAURUS 09 which includes an exercise under the Five Powers Defence Agreement in Malaysia and culminates with a major multi-national exercise in Brunei where the participating maritime assets will inject the landing forces (40 Commando Royal Marines) ashore for a training package in the primary jungles of Brunei.

MRAP And Viking (BvS10) Compatible Combatant Vehicles For Terrain In Afghanistan

MRAP And Viking (BvS10) Compatible Combatant Vehicles For Terrain In Afghanistan

(NSI News Source Info) February 25, 2009: Afghanistan is SUV country. Heavier vehicles, like armored ones, run into lots of problems. Afghanistan is generally roadless, and contains numerous deserts, hills and mountains. Most of the roads are dirt, often just tracks across plains and hills. This situation is bad for trucks and wheeled armored vehicles. American and NATO troops have found that the best way to get across this terrain is with tracked vehicles. Canada, for example, first sent it's wheeled LAV armored vehicles along with its troops. The LAVs had a hard time with all the nasty terrain. So Canada sent some Leopard tanks, and suddenly the troops had combat vehicles that could get around quickly and easily. But there still remained the problem of getting supplies moved without vehicles getting stuck or flipping over. The solution, it turned out, was again, tracked vehicles. The British Royal Marines brought with them unarmored Bv206 (which can carry 2.5 tons over any terrain. including snow and most marshland) tracked vehicles.

The larger BvS10 can haul five tons. The BvS10 is actually an articulated vehicle, with a tracked trailer connected by a power transfer and steering linkage. The front part weighs 4.9 tons, the rear part 3.1 tons.

Because of this trailer arrangement, the vehicle has a 47 foot turning radius. Four passengers can be carried in the front car, and eight on the rear one. The vehicle is amphibious and has a top speed in the water of five kilometers an hour (compared to 65 kilometers an hour on land.) The vehicle are Swedish, and built to cope with the marshes and mountains the country is full of, as well as deep snow. The Royal Marines mainly got the Viking for amphibious operations, as well as logistics and carrying troops in combat zones. The Viking is also able to move through swampy terrain, as well as snow. It's well suited for Afghanistan, where they can be lifted by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, or a C-130 transport. Lifting the two sections of the vehicle separately, the smaller Merlin helicopter can move the vehicle. Last year, the Royal Marines got 108 armored, "Viking" (BvS10) all terrain combat vehicles, at a cost of $890,000 each. They used these vehicles, armored versions of the Bv206, in combat for the first time in Afghanistan, and were well satisfied with the performance, and protection, the vehicles provided. Canadian troops also used Bv206s for moving supplies, and discovered that the light ground pressure created by the wide tracks, tended to go over landmines without detonating them. The light ground pressure was designed for allowing the vehicle to move over snow. Success of the Bv206 in Afghanistan has led to more sales to the Royal Marines, and interest from several other countries. The Bv206 widely employed for civilian uses, from Antarctica to the tropics.

£650 Million Royal Navy Warship Arrives In Portsmouth

£650 Million Royal Navy Warship Arrives In Portsmouth

(NSI News Source Info) January 29, 2009: The Royal Navy's newest warship, built at a cost of £650 million, sailed into its home port for the first time today. HMS Daring, the world's most advanced destroyer, was officially handed over to the navy last month after work was completed at the BVT Surface Fleet's Scotstoun shipyard on the Clyde, Scotland. The 7,350-tonne ship will be the first of the Royal Navy's series of six Type 45 destroyers. Daring was met at Portsmouth Naval Base, Hampshire, by a 15-gun salute as well as by families and friends of the ship's company. Hundreds of members of public also lined the harbour walls to welcome the ship. The ship features the latest propulsion, anti-aircraft weapon and stealth technology. The Type 45 destroyers have nearly twice the range - about 7,000 miles - and are 45% more fuel-efficient than the Type 42 destroyers they are replacing in the £6 billion project. It is capable of sailing 3,000 nautical miles, operating for three days and returning home without the need to refuel.

Daring, the first of the Royal Navy's new Type 45 destroyers, entered and berthed in her home port of Portsmouth today for the first time, witnessed by hundreds of well-wishers.

The ships are to be armed with a new hi-tech missile system renamed today as the "Sea Viper", formerly known as the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (Paams). The Sea Viper system, in conjunction with the ship's Sampson Radar system, is capable of tracking hundreds of targets as far as 250 miles away and engaging up to 10 of them simultaneously. Daring can operate various helicopters, including the Chinook, embark 60 Royal Marines and is able to accommodate up to 700 people as part of an emergency evacuation. It has a crew of 191 and generates enough electricity from its gas and diesel engines to power a city the size of Leicester. The ship has been fitted with improved accommodation for ratings include larger bed spaces and less beds per room than previous destroyers. Daring was launched from BVT's facility in Scotstoun by the Countess of Wessex in January 2006. Since then it has undergone three sets of contractor sea trials. It will now undertake an intensive sea trials programme for the rest of the year, with a formal commissioning ceremony due to take place in the summer with a target of formal acceptance into service by late 2010. A flypast by Royal Navy and RAF aircraft took place as Daring entered Portsmouth Harbour. Quentin Davies, minister for defence equipment and support said: "HMS Daring is one of the most advanced ships ever built and along with the five other Type 45s will be one of the essential pillars of the Royal Navy in the 21st century. "Today is a special day for the Royal Navy, the city of Portsmouth and her dockyard, the crew of HMS Daring and all those involved in building her, as one of the most powerful warships in the world enters her home port for the first time. "It is with great pride that I have been able to witness the first arrival of HMS Daring into Portsmouth today." Defending placing such a large investment into a single warship, Mr Davies added: "This is a very flexible warship and I can see her as being of immense use to the defence of the nation in a variety of scenarios. "She is not a one-trick pony, she is the opposite of that." Speaking of the missile system, Mr Davies said: "The newly named Sea Viper, a world-leading missile system will allow the ship to detect her prey, target it and issue a deadly strike." Daring's commanding officer Captain Paul Bennett added: "Daring is a good-looking, large capability platform. She is an illustration of the talent and capability of British shipbuilding. "Today provides a fitting opportunity to mark the first entry into Portsmouth of a new class of destroyer for over 30 years. "It's been a fantastic event to mark the passage of this great warship into her home port and we look forward to a successful year of sea trials before embarking on operations."

Upgraded Raiding Craft For Royal Marines / Marines' Raiding Craft Is Up-Armoured and Up-Gunned

Upgraded Raiding Craft For Royal Marines / Marines' Raiding Craft Is Up-Armoured and Up-Gunned (NSI News Source Info) January 26, 2009: Royal Marines from 539 Assault Squadron put on a display of their latest up-armoured and up-gunned Offshore Raiding Craft in the choppy waters of Plymouth Sound yesterday, Thursday 22 January 2009. Royal Marines demonstrate their new up-armored and up-gunned Offshore Raiding Craft in Plymouth Sound.

The Marines, whose traditional role has always been to maintain law and order on the high seas, put the new mid-console variant of their Raiding Craft, known as the 'racing car' of the amphibious fleet, through its paces at speeds of more than 20 knots.

The Royal Navy has a large amphibious fleet and the Raiding Craft represent the smallest and most manoeuvrable elements of this fleet. Their role is to allow Royal Marines from the fleet to close with the enemy either at sea or on land. With the latest upsurge in piracy this role could not be more pertinent.

But protection is just as important to maritime equipment as it is to equipment used in the land environment, especially when undertaking dangerous engagements such as intercepting potential pirates. And the new craft have been designed following experiences in southern Iraq, when Marines came under attack from local insurgents, with improved armour and more firepower added.

Colour Sergeant Baz Fowler gave his thoughts on the new craft:

"The main difference for me is that there is better all-round visibility from the craft. We now have 360-degree arcs of fire all round, which we can bring down to within a metre of the craft. In a river or sea environment we can produce intimate fire support close in. Modifications have added weight to the craft but the fire support we can now provide is a good trade off." Manufactured by Holyhead Marine in Anglesey, the lightweight air transportable boats are powered by twin Steyr diesel engines linked to Rolls Royce waterjets. They cost around £200,000 each, can be carried by C-130 Hercules aircraft or underslung beneath a Chinook helicopter.

The new craft carry a crew of seven, with two coxswains now situated in the centre. Two gunners are at the front, using twin general purpose machine guns, while there are three more gunners on the stern, two on the guns, one on fire control: "For the two coxswains aboard, the craft gives better protection all round," says Lance Corporal Tom Lockyer.

"And having them further forward has given them better visibility. It will be fantastic when we start using the craft for what they were designed to do."

At the stern the craft carry more general purpose machine guns along with 0.5-inch calibre heavy machine guns or grenade machine guns depending on mission requirements:

"This is a good bit of equipment," says Captain Matt Pinckney. "It is very manoeuvrable and ideal for what we need to do. It moves at 20 knots one minute, and then can stop dead still to allow us to lay down effective fire.

"Royal Marines' landing craft are always at the forefront of military operations in the river environment. Now we have a much greater capability to take the fight to the enemy. The guys can feel very confident of going into these areas to complete the tasks they have been set. "There was a sense of urgency after Operation Telic where there was a huge threat environment and we needed more armour and firepower. Equipment is improving all the time with investment from the Government. Royal Marines are training to go into any situation – we can now go in and do an even better job."

Introduced into service in 2005, the Raiding Craft have proved a success in the squadron's tasks of landing from sea on hostile shores and providing support and reconnaissance to other UK forces in the river environment.

Two of the new fast craft will be debuted on Exercise Taurus in the Far East in February:

"Our initial feedback is that we are certainly heading in the right direction," continues Colour Sergeant Baz Fowler. "The craft and its weapons systems have never been in doubt. It's now a case of putting them all together in operational use."