Western European Navies (week 41)

Political News
As of now there is a limit on the value off offsets in defence contracts in the EU.

It looks like NATO will say 'yes' to the missile defence project in Europe during the Lisbon meeting scheduled for November, now France has approved the project.

The British National Audit Office has published its reports on the major defence projects. Their conclusion: 3.3 billion pound over budget and an overall 38 billion pound "black hole" between spending and money available. In that 3.3 billion the two planned new aircraft carriers account for 650 million pounds.
But the NAO also drew attention to some positive findings. In 2009/10, the cost performance on the majority of projects was broadly stable, for the second year running. The rate of project overruns also fell significantly and 98% of performance indicators were likely to be met.

Defence spending in Italy down 10% for 2011. Expect cuts and delays for FREMM frigates.

No cuts for the navy in 2011 in Norway.

In Belgium there are hardly any Francophone generals. Dutch-speaking Belgians have 66% of all the top positions and all departments are being led by Dutch speaking Flemish people.
Belgian law says that top officers have to speak both languages fluently and from personal experience I can say that, on average, the French of the Dutch speaking Flemish is much better than the Dutch of the French speaking Walloons. Even so much so, that my French (3 years in high school) is better than their Dutch 99% of the time and I don't stand a chance against the French of the (Dutch speaking) Flemish.

Global Operations
German's State Attorney has indicted the 10 Somali men that were caught during the Dutch action on the MV Taipan.

Denmark is airlifting a helicopter to Africa to replace the current one on HDMS Esbern Snare, to fight piracy.

AGAPANTHE 2010 is not even a day old and the French carrier Charles de Gaulle has to head back home already. Repairs will take a couple of weeks.

Another blog about Operation Atalanta. This time from the FGS Köln (in German).

Shipbuilding
The final type 45 has been launched in the UK.

The UK is competing against France and Italy to sell warship to Brazil.

The Swedes have modified two CB90's, so they can be taken onboard Dutch and British LPD's, and loaned one to the Netherlands and one to the UK for 6 months.
I'd expect to see them in exercise Emerald Move.

The Irish have ordered two OPV's from Babcock Marine for €100 million. One vessel is scheduled to be delivered in 2014, the other in 2015.

The first Spanish S-80 submarine is scheduled to sail in 2013.

French DCNS setting its sight on the Maritime Security Cutter Medium from the USCG.

Exercises
The UK, France, Australia and the US have done an anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman.

Upcoming Execercises
Emerald Move 2010. An exercise from the European Amphibious Initiative (EAI) to be held in Senegal in November. While original plans were to put a force of 2,500 ashore and support them for 10 days, all countries involved have since decided to scale the exercise down, due to costs.