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Post by TsarSamuil on Jan 25, 2011 19:32:03 GMT -5
Blackwater wants to go into Somalia n fix the pirate problem, I say let them since the rest of the world is not doing anything...
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Poles on board as Somali pirates seize ship.
PAP 25.01.2011 15:48
At least one Pole is on board of the MV Beluga Nomination, a German cargo ship seized by Somali pirates.
The ship, operated by German-based Beluga Shipping GmbH, was hijacked off the Somali coast on Monday. According to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, the crew consists of Russians, Ukrainians, Poles and Philippines.
Somali pirates, who kidnap ships mainly in the Indian Ocean, currently hold more than 30 vessels and 746 crew members, according to a report by the International Maritime Bureau. (mg)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jan 27, 2011 11:23:39 GMT -5
Diplomats: Two Ukrainians onboard hijacked MV Beluga Nomination.
KYIV, January 26 /UKRINFORM/. Two Ukrainian nationals are onboard the MV Beluga Nomination ship captured by Somali pirates, according to the German ship owner, says Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Oleksandr Dykusarov.
Despite the signal set by the ship, none of the warships operating in the region as part of the Atalanta operation was able to help the crew. The sailors first managed to close at one of the compartments of the ship, but later the pirates got to this room and seized control of the vessel.
Currently, the vessel is heading to Somalia. A few miles away there is the Seychelles coast guard ship.
The Consular Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine together with Ukrainian diplomatic institutions will monitor further developments.
As UKRINFORM reported, the Somali pirates hijacked the MV Beluga Nomination ship (the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, operator Beluga Fleet Management GmbH based in Germany) with 12 sailors, including 2 Ukrainians, on board near the Seychelles.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Feb 6, 2011 14:05:32 GMT -5
Russia's 2nd Graney class nuclear sub to enter service in 2015.
The Russian Navy will receive a second Graney class nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine in 2015, a spokesman for the Malakhit design bureau said.
The construction of the Kazan submarine at the Sevmash Shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk began in 2010. The first vessel of the Graney class, the Severodvinsk submarine, will enter service by the end of 2011.
"The hull of the Kazan sub has been built, but we still have to make many upgrades compared with the first vessel in the series. We are planning to deliver the submarine to the Navy in 2015," the official told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
The Kazan will feature more advanced equipment and weaponry than the Severodvinsk, which has been under construction since 1993.
Graney class nuclear submarines are designed to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles or 5,000 km), with conventional or nuclear warheads, and effectively engage submarines, surface warships and land-based targets.
The submarine's armament includes 24 cruise missiles and eight torpedo launchers, as well as mines and anti-ship missiles.
MOSCOW, February 2 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Feb 27, 2011 13:40:09 GMT -5
Russia, Ukraine to sign deal on Russian Black Sea Fleet rearmament.
Russia and Ukraine plan to sign a new agreement on the rearmament of the Russian Black Sea Fleet based in Ukraine's Crimea, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Sunday.
"We are, indeed, discussing this issue and are trying to formulate new provisions for this agreement," he said.
Under the existing accords, Russia may rearm its Black Sea fleet in the Crimea only with Ukraine's consent.
Russia's Black Sea Fleet is stationed in Ukraine's port of Sevastopol in the Crimea under a lease agreement. On April 21, 2010, Moscow and Kiev signed a deal extending the lease on the fleet's base in Sevastopol for 25 years after the current lease expires in 2017.
Russia is seeking to bring its ageing Soviet-era fleet up to modern standards as part of a larger effort to modernize its armed forces.
At present, the Black Sea Fleet has about 40 operational vessels, including a single diesel-electric submarine, but most of them are slated for decommissioning.
Russian Navy Commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky earlier said that the fleet would be reinforced with 15 new combat ships and diesel-electric submarines by 2020.
VLADIVOSTOK, February 27 (RIA Novosti)
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Russia ready to hold drills with Ukraine in any format - defense minister.
Russia is prepared to hold joint military drills with Ukraine in any format, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Sunday.
"The Russian side is prepared to hold drills with Ukraine not only at sea but also in the air and on the ground. These can be comprehensive, joint and separate drills, and also exercises with the participation of other countries. We are ready for any format," Serdyukov said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhaylo Yezhel.
Relations between Russia and Ukraine have improved significantly since Viktor Yanukovych was elected Ukraine's president last year. On April 21, 2010, Moscow and Kiev signed a deal extending the lease on the Russian Black Sea Fleet's base in Sevastopol in Ukraine's Crimea for 25 years after the current lease expires in 2017.
Yezhel said in turn that well-planned Russian-Ukrainian drills, Fairway of Peace, could surpass by scope any other drills between the two countries.
"These can be joint search operations and joint actions for the use of weapons, the closing of water areas and the arrangement of anti-submarine and air defenses," he said.
VLADIVOSTOK, February 27 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Mar 10, 2011 14:05:26 GMT -5
Pirates free another ship with Ukrainians, Filipinos and a German.
RT.com
The MV York vessel with a crew of 17 people was released from Somali pirates’ captivity, the Ukrainian foreign ministry announced Thursday. The ship was seized by pirates off Kenya in October last year. It operated under the flag of Singapore and carried natural gas on board. The crew of the ship consists of 14 Filipinos, one German and two Ukrainians. The ship is now heading for open waters and is said to be safe. No details of the conditions of the release have been conveyed. This is the second ship released by Somali pirates in two days.
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Ukrainian sailors from MV York, tanker freed from pirates, arrive in Kenya.
KYIV, March 14 / UKRINFORM/. The MV York, a tanker freed from pirates, with 17 crewmembers, including two citizens of Ukraine, on board, has arrived in the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
The information policy department of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry told UKRINFORM that representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy in Kenya had met the Ukrainians at the port, providing them with the necessary assistance and giving them a chance to call their relatives and friends.
According to the Ukrainian Embassy in Kenya, after medical examination and the purchase of the necessary items, the sailors will be accommodated at a local hotel. The departure of the Ukrainian citizens is scheduled for March 16.
Somali pirates seized the MV York tanker on October 23, 2010. On March 9, 2011, the vessel was freed from pirates.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Mar 17, 2011 15:42:49 GMT -5
Russia set to start construction of 3rd Graney class nuclear sub.
The construction of the third Graney class nuclear-powered attack submarine will begin in 2011, a spokesman for the Russian Navy said on Thursday.
The first Graney class sub, the Severodvinsk, will enter service with the Navy by the end of 2011. The second vessel, the Kazan, is being built at the Sevmash Shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk.
Graney class nuclear submarines are designed to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles or 5,000 km), with conventional or nuclear warheads, and effectively engage submarines, surface warships and land-based targets.
The submarine's armament includes 24 cruise missiles and eight torpedo launchers, as well as mines and anti-ship missiles.
Russia plans to build at least six Graney class submarines.
MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Mar 25, 2011 14:00:29 GMT -5
Russia looks to use Ukrainian defense facilities, shipyards.
The Russian and Ukrainian defense ministers on Friday discussed military and technical cooperation, including the use of Ukrainian shipyards by Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
Anatoly Serdyukov and Mykhailo Yezhel met in Moscow during a meeting of the security subcommittee of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission.
"We have discussed 12 issues, including military training programs, the use of training grounds... and the use of Ukrainian shipyards in the interests of the Russian Black Sea Fleet," Serdyukov said.
The two defense ministers will soon go on a working tour of Ukrainian defense industry enterprises, Yezhel said, adding that he had recently made a similar tour in Russia.
He said Russia was interested in using Ukrainian plants to dismantle and destroy discarded ammunition and was seeking closer ties with tank- and aircraft-building firms.
MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 13, 2011 12:06:35 GMT -5
Mistral deal back on course.
RT.com 13 April, 2011, 17:08
Moscow and Paris have come to an agreement that the Mistral-class ships, which French shipbuilders will sell to the Russian Navy, will be equipped with all weapons systems present in the existing vessels.
“Bilateral talks resulted in an agreement with the French party that they will take into account the Defense Ministry’s condition to provide all necessary systems and equipment to comply with the Russian Navy’s requirements,” a senior source in the Defense Ministry told the media on Wednesday.
The source added the settlement includes the option for licensed construction of two extra similar amphibious assault ships on Russian soil.
Earlier, some media reported that the negotiations over the arms deal had been stalled by a conflict over pricing and armament of the two ships as well as the amount of intellectual property, which France is to hand over to Russian shipbuilders.
Also, some European military officials voiced concerns over the fact that Mistral-class vessels are equipped with NATO’s communication systems, and the deal with Russia may compromise the alliance members’ national security.
Russia and France announced that they have reached a principal agreement on the Mistral deal in December 2010. Negotiations to settle all terms of the contract were expected to be over by April 2011.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 15, 2011 14:35:59 GMT -5
Russia floats out 3rd stealth corvette.
St. Petersburg's Severnaya Verf shipyard floated out a new corvette for the Russian Navy featuring stealth technology on Friday.
The Boiky is the third Steregushchy class (Project 20380) corvette designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau.
The first Project 20380 corvette, the Steregushchy, was put into service with Russia's Baltic Fleet in October 2008, and the second ship in the series, the Soobrazitelny, is expected to join the Russian Navy in 2011.
The Project 20380 corvette can be deployed to destroy enemy surface ships, submarines and aircraft, and to provide artillery support for beach landings. It uses stealth technology to reduce the ship's secondary radar field, as well as its acoustic, infrared, magnetic and visual signatures.
Russia plans to have up to 30 vessels of this class to ensure the protection of its coastal waters, as well as its oil and gas transportation routes, especially in the Black and the Baltic seas.
Each corvette has a displacement of 2,000 metric tons, maximum speed of 27 knots, and a crew of 100.
The ship's armament includes SS-N-25 Switchblade anti-ship missiles, a 100-mm gun and a variety of air defense and anti-submarine systems.
ST. PETERSBURG, April 15 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jun 8, 2011 15:38:39 GMT -5
Yuri Dolgoruky strategic nuclear submarine: characteristics. Large infographic, en.rian.ru/images/16449/08/164490834.jpgK-535 Yuri Dolgoruky is a fourth-generation strategic nuclear submarine, and the first in the Borey class series.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jun 17, 2011 17:27:45 GMT -5
Russia signs $1.7 bln deal for 2 French warships.
ST. PETERSBURG, June 17 (RIA Novosti)
Russia and France signed on Friday a $1.7 billion (1.2 bln euro) contract on two French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ships for the Russian Navy.
The deal was signed in St. Petersburg by Anatoly Isaikin, director of Russia's Rosoboronexport state-controlled arms exporter, and Patrick Boissier, president and CEO of France's DCNS shipbuilder, who are contracted to build the warships.
The signing ceremony was overseen by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
The first warship will be delivered in 2014 and the second in 2015, DCNS said.
French President Nicolas Sarcozy hailed the contract as a sign of strategic partnership between the two countries.
"The signing of the contract... points to a strategic level of cooperation between France and Russia, as well as the constant support that it gets from the heads of state," the Elysee Palace said in a communique.
The project will provide 1,000 jobs over the course of four years, the Palace said.
The warships will be equipped with Russian weapon systems, Navy chief Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said.
"Construction technology used in building such ships allows Russian weapon systems to be integrated into this project, including amphibious landing assets and carrier aviation," he said.
The use of Mistral class ships will significantly increase the effectiveness of humanitarian operations, he said, adding that they could be used both in peacetime and in wartime for a variety of missions.
The program has alarmed Russia's neighbors, especially Georgia.
Russia and France in January signed an intergovernmental agreement to build two Mistral class helicopter carriers at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Another two are planned to be constructed later in Russia.
Contract talks stumbled over Russia's demand for the transfer of sensitive electronic systems.
A Mistral class ship is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing vessels, 70 armored vehicles, and 450 personnel.
France has two Mistral class amphibious assault ships in service and is building a third.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jun 18, 2011 6:38:43 GMT -5
LOL!
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US lawmaker slams France-Russia warship deal.
– Fri Jun 17, 4:36 pm ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) – A top US lawmaker on Friday blasted France for agreeing to sell two warships to Russia saying Paris had ignored "the clear danger" the deal would pose to US and regional security.
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, denounced the deal under which France will transfer sensitive military technology to Russia for the first time since World War II.
"It is deeply troubling that France, a NATO ally, has decided to ignore the clear danger of selling advanced warships to Russia even as Moscow is taking an increasingly hostile approach toward the US, its neighbors, and Europe itself," she said in a statement.
"Many of our allies in the region, such as Georgia and the Baltic states, have experienced cyber attacks, severe economic pressure, and even invasion by Russia," she added.
Russia signed the long-awaited contract worth over a billion euros ($1.4 billion) to buy two French warships on Friday despite alarm from its ex-Soviet neighbors and the United States.
The unprecedented deal comes after talks over the past two years bogged down over pricing and know-how issues.
In a statement entitled "French sale of assault ships to Russia threatens regional security," the Republican congresswoman said it was "a profound mistake to arm our opponents for profit or for the mirage of cooperation that never materializes."
She added the sale of sophisticated arms to Russia was also worrying due to Moscow's past military cooperation with "rogue regimes like Iran and Syria."
"The administration must strongly urge our NATO and EU allies to stop selling weapons systems to Russia that can be used against the interests of the US, Europe, and our many other allies," she added.
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Post by boroslav on Jul 1, 2011 12:13:40 GMT -5
Russia to supply nuclear submarine to India - RIAMOSCOW | Fri Jul 1, 2011 4:06am EDT MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will deliver a nuclear submarine to India by the end of the year, Russia's navy chief was quoted as saying on Friday by state news agency RIA.India sees Russia as a strategic counterweight to China but New Delhi has been upset by repeated delays to major weapons orders from Moscow, including the Admiral Gorshkov heavy aircraft carrier. The date for delivering the Nerpa submarine to India, Russia's close economic and political partner since Soviet days, has repeatedly been put back. "We shall definitely supply this vessel to the customer by the end of this year," RIA quoted navy commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky as saying. Vysotsky said an fully trained Indian navy crew were ready to receive the submarine, which some Russian media reported last year had already been handed over to India. The Nerpa, an attack submarine codenamed "Akula" -- or "Shark" -- by NATO, is usually armed with torpedoes and cruise missiles. It can go down to depths of 600 meters (2000 ft) for about 100 days. It can carry 73 people. Construction of the Nerpa began in 1991 -- the year the Soviet Union collapsed -- but funding was frozen in the chaotic 1990s and the submarine was only launched and started sea trials in 2008, according to Russian media. Twenty people died on the Nerpa after inhaling the toxic gas used as a fire suppressant when its fire extinguishing system switched on unexpectedly at sea trials in November 2008. The accident was the deadliest to hit Russia's navy since August 2000, when the Kursk nuclear submarine sank beneath the Barents Sea, killing all 118 sailors on board. India agreed to buy the Gorshkov aircraft carrier and have it upgraded in 2004. But Moscow has repeatedly asked for more money and the latest price tag reported for the ship is $2.3 billion. It has still not been delivered to India. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, editing by Mark Heinrich) www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/01/us-russia-india-submarine-idUSTRE76013F20110701
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jul 2, 2011 8:57:29 GMT -5
Russian defense minister denies plans to build aircraft carriers.
03:11 02/07/2011 MOSCOW, July 2 (RIA Novosti)
The Russian military has no concrete plans to build aircraft carriers in the next 10 years, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said.
"We have no plans to build aircraft carriers," the minister told the Russian media on Friday.
According to Serdyukov, the Defense Ministry has simply ordered a draft design of the future aircraft carrier to have a general understanding of its conceptual and technical solutions.
"Only after that the General Staff together with the Navy will make any decisions about the need for such a vessel," the minister said.
Roman Trotsenko, the head of Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation said on Thursday that Russia may build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier by 2023.
The Russian Navy has only one aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, which was commissioned in 1991.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jul 18, 2011 17:58:28 GMT -5
Russian Navy to receive new air defense system.
16:52 18/07/2011 MOSCOW, July 18 (RIA Novosti)
The Russian Navy will soon receive a new ship-based gun/missile air defense system, KBP Instrument Design Bureau, the developer of the system, said on Monday.
The system, dubbed Pantsyr-M, has been developed on the basis of the land-based Pantsyr-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound).
"Pantsyr-M will replace the Kortik air defense systems and will be installed on all new classes of Russian combat ships, from corvettes to cruisers," said Alexander Zhukov, a senior KBP official.
Zhukov cited specifications for an export version of Pantsyr-M as the data on the system for the Russian Navy is still classified.
The export Pantsyr-ME version has a response time of 3-5 seconds and can track and destroy simultaneously up to four targets.
Its missiles have a range of 20 kilometers and can hit targets at altitudes from 2 meters to 15 kilometers, while its guns have a range of four kilometers and can hit targets at altitudes up to 3 kilometers.
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