Hürmüz Boğazı'nda Denizaltı Kazası

Son yıllarda artan denizaltı kazalarına bugün (20.03.2009) sabah saatlerinde bir yenisi daha eklendi: Hürmüz Boğazı'nda seyreden ABD Deniza Kuvvetleri'ne ait Los Angeles sınıfı nükleer saldırı denizaltısı USS SSN-768 Hartford ile San Antonio sınıfı amfibi çıkarma gemisi USS LPD-18 New Orleans çarpıştı. Kazada Hartford denizaltısındaki 15 mürettebatın hafif yaralandığı bildiriliyor. Her iki gemi de halen kendi tahrik sistemlerini kullanarak seyretmekteymiş, ancak New Orleans'tan, hasar alan yakıt tankı nedeniyle denize 25 bin galondan fazla mazot sızmış. Hartford'da herhangi bir nükleer yakıt sızıntısı rapor edilmemiş. New Orleans, ABD Deniz Kuvvetleri'nin en modern çıkarma gemilerinden biriydi.

Two U.S. Navy Vessels Collide in the Strait of Hormuz

From Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs MANAMA, Bahrain – A U.S. Navy submarine and U.S. amphibious ship collided in the Strait of Hormuz early Friday morning, March 20, 2009. The collision between USS Hartford (SSN 768) and USS New Orleans (LPD 18) occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. local time (5:00 p.m. EDT, March 19). Fifteen sailors aboard the Hartford were slightly injured and returned to duty. No personnel aboard New Orleans were injured. Overall damage to both ships is being evaluated. The propulsion plant of the submarine was unaffected by this collision. New Orleans suffered a ruptured fuel tank, which resulted in an oil spill of approximately 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel marine. Both ships are currently operating under their own power. The incident is currently under investigation. Both the submarine and the ship are currently on regularly scheduled deployments to the U.S. Navy Central Command area of responsibility conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO). MSO set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment as well as complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. MSO deny international terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons, or other material.
http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/articles/2009/046.html

Avustralya LPD Projesi

Avustralya Savunma Bakanlığı, bugün yaptığı açıklama ile iki adet LPD tedariğini kapsayan projeye start verdiğini duyurdu.

Yayınlanan teklife çağrı dosyası, ilki 2012 yılında hizmete girmek üzere HMAS Canberra ve HMAS Adelaide isimli iki adet LPD'nin tedarik edilmesini içeriyor.

Avustralya'dan ADI firması Fransız Armaris ile, Fransız Donanması için üretilen 22,000t Mistral sınıfının bir versiyonu için, Tenix firması ise İspanyol Navantia firması ile bu firmanın 27,000t LPD tasarımının bir versiyonunu önermek için işbirliği yaptılar.

Envantere girecek gemiden beklenen başlıca teknik özellikler şöyle:

- 1000 personel
- 6 adet helikopter iniş noktası
- Nakliye ve taarruz / taktik keşif helikopter taşıma kabiliyeti
- M1 Abrams dahil azami 150 araç taşıma kabiliyeti
- Tam teşekküllü hastane

Söz konusu savunma bakanlığı duyurusu aşağıdadır

Requests for Tender for $2 Billion Amphibious Ships Released to Australian Industry

I am pleased to announce that Requests for Tender for the $2 billion large amphibious ships project have been released today. The two ships, to be named HMAS Canberra and Adelaide, are scheduled to enter service with the Royal Australian Navy from 2012.

This is a major milestone in the process that will lead to final project approval and ship builder and design selection early next year. It comes after an intensive design development effort by Defence and the two competing designers, in which the designs have been adapted to meet specific Australian legislative and regulatory requirements.

Two Australian companies - ADI and Tenix - will team with the designers to compete for the contract to supply the ships. ADI will team with the French designer Armaris, and Tenix with the Spanish designer Navantia.

The Tenix-Navantia team will propose a variation of the Navantia 27,000 tonne design, while ADI-Armaris will propose a variation of the Armaris 22,000-tonne Mistral class.

Both prospective designs offer a quantum leap over our current capability and satisfy Government's strategic guidance. Selection of the preferred consortium to construct the ships will be determined on value for money grounds.

The tender documentation will allow bidding companies to:

* Submit fixed price bids;
* Bid through life support solutions, and;
* Provide innovative solutions to improve price and schedule.

Australian industry stands to benefit considerably from this project of national significance.

Each ship will have the ability to transport up to 1000 personnel, have six helicopter landing spots and a provision for a mix of troop lift and armed reconnaissance helicopters. It will also be able to transport up to 150 vehicles including the new M1A1 Abrams tank and other elements of the Hardened and Networked Army.

Each ship will also be equipped with medical facilities, including two operating theatres and a hospital ward.

The project will allow the Australian Defence Force to perform a range of tasks, including regional disaster relief, delivering humanitarian aid, support for peace operations, and assistance to policing or military operations.

This investment part of the Howard Government's commitment of $28.5 billion in increased spending on Defence capability over the 10-year period to 2010, building on the 2000 White Paper commitment to increase Defence funding by three per cent annually, in real terms, until 2010/11.

source: MOD Australia