NEWS The three year refit, culminating in HMS
Talent’s on-schedule departure for sea trials in October, successfully completed at the end of last year, saw the implementation of new initiatives by DML, working closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Navy. These delivered considerable efficiency and cost- saving benefits, including a £6 million saving over previous LOP(R)s, agreed as part of the original contract. HMS Talent’s LOP(R) included reactor
refuelling and installation of a Swiftsure and Trafalgar (S&T) update, in addition to the refurbishment of all the submarine systems, including considerable emergent work, to enable her to complete her next commission (due to be 12 years in service). The S&T update is a programme being
undertaken on four Trafalgar class submarines, and includes fitting Sonar 2076 (which is also being fitted in the new Astute class submarines), a new heat management system, noise reduction, a new tactical weapons data highway, a new submarine command system, and a number of smaller capability enhancements. It has already been successfully completed on HMS Torbay and Trenchant, with Talent being the third, and Triumph currently undergoing the upgrade.
DCN and Thales complete merger of naval activities
DCN and Thales have finalised with the French government the agreement concerning the consolidation of their activities in the naval defence sector. This major step is aimed at the constitution of a consolidated European naval defence industry, in which DCN and Thales will have a major role to play. The agreement also approves the acquisition by Thales of a 25% stake in DCN. The operation follows the joint declaration
of intent, which both groups signed on 15 December 2005 with Michèle Alliot-Marie, Minister of Defence, and Thierry Breton, Minister for Economy, Finance, and Industry. Upon signature of the agreement, DCN will
acquire all of Thales’s naval activities in France (excluding its equipment activities), and will become the sole shareholder of Armaris and MOPA2, the prime contractor for France’s PA2 aircraft carrier programme. Simultaneously, Thales will acquire a 25%
stake in DCN alongside the French government, which will retain a 75% stake. Thales becomes ‘the industrial shareholding partner’ of DCN and the terms of governance will allow Thales to play an active role on the Board of Directors to support the development of DCN. There will also be the possibility for Thales to increase its stake in DCN to 35% over the next two years. The collaboration brings about synergies,
in particular in the industrial and commercial fields, as well as in upstream R&D sectors. It will strengthen the competitiveness of DCN’s offer to its customers, including its development on the international market. In conjunction with the above-mentioned,
a new organisation is being implemented by DCN, ensuring the optimal integration of the teams which will join the group. Jean-Marie Poimbo euf and Denis Ranque said of the deal: ‘By consolidating our French naval
6 WARSHIP TECHNOLOGY MAY 2007
activities, we aim to implement a European strategy which favours the emergence of a world leader in naval systems, combining the capacities of DCN and Thales with those of other European partners in the domain’. In early April, the DCN group unveiled its new
corporate identity, which symbolises the group’s new organisation and ambitions, following the integration of Thales’s naval businesses in France. The acronym DCN has been replaced by a
brand: DCNS. Although the letters D, C, and N no longer have any particular significance, they echo the group’s history _ to which employees, customers, and partners are deeply attached. The S stands for systems and services — or more precisely our expertise in system prime contracting and services. It also reflects our commitment to future growth and development. DCNS said the new organisation will enable
the company to meet customer needs more effectively, while fostering innovation and international growth. It is also designed to facilitate the integration of the Thales France teams joining DCN. Achieving these goals calls for stronger management of operational activities, and to this end, Chairman & CEO Jean-Marie Poimbœuf will be seconded by Bernard Planchais, appointed Executive Vice- President & COO by the Board of Directors meeting on 29 March 2007. The new DCN Executive Board comprises:
chairman & chief executive officer: Jean-Marie Poimbœuf; executive vice president & chief operating officer: Bernard Planchais; executive vice president & deputy managing director: Bernard Huet; senior vice president projects: Pierre Legros; senior vice president warships: Pierre Quinchon; senior vice president services: Christian Foissey; senior vice president security & information systems: Bernard Lucas; senior vice president strategy & development: Jacques Mouysset; senior vice president marketing & sales: Philippe Sauvageot; senior vice president & chief financial officer: Jean des Courtis; senior vice president human resources: Hervé Dufoix; senior vice president communications: Christophe Lachnitt.
Open day for EMKIT
Captain T M Dannatt RN – marine propulsion systems team leader – from the UK’s Defence Logistics Organisation, has officially opened the
next generation of military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and manned aircraft launch technology at Converteam’s development and test site near Rugby. The event was attended by Royal Navy
Officers and various UK and international industry representatives who witnessed a series of demonstrations, including a low speed launch of the test vehicle initiated by Captain Dannatt and a high speed launch of the reaction plate which was started by Rugby Mayor Cllr Tina Avis. Converteam Ltd won the £2.6 million
competed contract to develop the Electromagnetic Kinetic Integrated Technology (EMKIT) system. The contract forms part of the Above Water Effects research programme, which aims to improve the exploitation of technology to meet capability requirements by increasing their maturity. The EMKIT project covers the design, build,
and testing of a high-speed, high-acceleration demonstrator. The test programme will include dynamic acceleration and stopping tests on a range of test masses at various speeds, within a short launch length, in order to demonstrate the flexibility and scalability of the technology, and ultimately deliver a significantly increased launch capability, compared with existing assisted aircraft launch methods. The system uses advanced linear induction
motor technology with pulsed alternator energy stores and high power converters, and is the first of its type in the UK. This EMKIT design has opened many
opportunities such as UAV launchers, full scale Electro-Magnetic Catapult systems, and commercial applications, and testing will continue until August 2007. More details about EMKIT can be found elsewhere in this issue of Warship Technology.
South African Navy commissions Charlotte Maxeke
On 14 March 2007 the South African Navy commissioned the submarineCharlotte Maxeke at Emden, with Germany-based Nordseewerke GmbH (NSWE), part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems AG (TKMS). The submarine is a Type 209/1400 design and
is the second of a total of three submarines which the South African government ordered from the German Submarine Consortium in 2000.
The South African Navy has commissioned the submarine Charlotte Maxeke.
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