Aircraft Carriers III

[Jeff Head]

It's Egypt! for both Mistrals.

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PARIS – France says it is selling two Mistral-class warships originally intended for Russia to Egypt instead.

In a statement Wednesday, the French president's office said Egypt would buy both ships. No price was given.

France agreed to refund 950 million euros ($1 billion) already paid by Russia after Paris canceled the sale, which was supposed to be the biggest arms sale ever by a NATO country to Russia but was detailed by the Ukrainian crisis.

Egypt also purchased 24 advanced fighter jets from France earlier this year for nearly $6 billion, as it sought international help to bomb Islamic State targets.

Mistral-class warships can carry 16 helicopter gunships, 700 troops and up to 50 armored vehicles.

 

[Jeff Head]

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Testing of advanced systems onboard USS Gerald R. Ford has fallen behind schedule, thereby delaying the sea trials phase.

The delay of the sea trials phase may add up to six to eight weeks and push the delivery of the US Navy’s new aircraft carrier behind the march 2016 deadline.

In a statement released yesterday, reported by Defense News, the US Navy has further stated that the exact delivery date will be known only after the completion of the sea trials phase.

What caused the delay is the CVN 78 shipboard test program. The Navy has acknowledged that the CVN 78 is 93% complete.

The news came in the wake of another possible delay which may be caused by shock trial tests requested by Michael Gilmore, Director, Operational Test and Evaluation.

Not too surprising...now we shall see how long of a delay.

 

[Jeff Head]

Even with delays (which are not unusual for a first of class), the US Navy is moving forward with the Ford and you can bet that she will get to sea, sooner rather than later.

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Huntington Ingalls Industries reached a major milestone on the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) as the ship’s crew moved aboard.

The first-in-class carrier is in the final stages of construction and testing at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.

Rolf Bartschi, Newport News’ vice president, CVN 78 carrier construction, said:

This is a rewarding time for the shipbuilders who have worked for the past six years to complete the systems and compartments needed to support the crew as they move aboard.

The ship we are building will be their home and will serve the Navy and the nation’s need in defense of our country for the next 50 years.

Ship’s Sponsor Susan Ford Bales helped serve a meal of prime rib, crab legs, shrimp, salmon and a 7-foot-long cake made to look like an aircraft carrier.

Capt. John F. Meier, CVN 78’s commanding officer, said:

Currently pierside in Newport News, we have water under our hull, and 1,600-plus sailors are eating, sleeping and working aboard. Our crew is fully aligned with Newport News Shipbuilding in executing the test program to deliver Gerald R. Ford next spring.

Ford is designed to house a crew of up to 4,660 sailors who will benefit from quality-of-life improvements in the ship’s design.

 

[bd popeye]

I'm really surprised by the sale of the Russian Union Mistral LHDs to Egypt. Egypt has NO experience in operating Naval ships this large. NONE..zip, zilch ...ZERO.

I will be curiously following this purchase by Egypt.

Wouldn't it be a very touchy situation IF Egypt sold those ships to ..oh..I don't know..Russia?

There's is probably some stipulation in the sale agreement to prevent Egypt from selling the ships to certain nation.

 

[Jeff Head]

I'm really surprised by the sale of the Russian Union Mistral LHDs to Egypt. Egypt has NO experience in operating Naval ships this large. NONE..zip, zilch ...ZERO.

I will be curiously following this purchase by Egypt.

Wouldn't it be a very touchy situation IF Egypt sold those ships to ..oh..I don't know..Russia?

There's is probably some stipulation in the sale agreement to prevent Egypt from selling the ships to certain nation.

I agree popeye. It is a very interesting deal.

They Egyptians have been modernizing...with large patrol boats bought from the US and the recent FREMM FFG. They also have several former US Navy Perry FFGs. but this is a completely new league.

Not only in terms of size of the vessel...but in function. To my knowledge the Egyptians have zero amphibious capability and experience as well.

Well, now they will be able to develop one.

 

[thunderchief]

Wouldn't it be a very touchy situation IF Egypt sold those ships to ..oh..I don't know..Russia?

Don't think Egypt would do that, but it is possible they have a deal with Russia to retain some of their equipment on-board , maybe even acquire Ka-52 K helicopters.

 

[Jura The idiot]

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...

Here's the answer on the amount of time from prior post:

Ford Carrier Suffers ‘Slight Deterioration’ in Testing Schedule, Could Delay Sea Trials 2 Months

Sea trials for the first-in-class nuclear carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) could be pushed back up to six to eight weeks due to a slip in the testing schedule, the Navy announced late Tuesday.

The delay in testing could push Ford past its anticipated March 2016 delivery date.

“The Navy has identified a slight deterioration in the required progress on the CVN-78 shipboard test program,” read the Navy statement.
“The exact impact on ship delivery will be determined based on the results of sea trials.”

The service did not specify testing of what component — or components — led to the deterioration of the testing schedule.

While the schedule maybe delayed, “all the work and any associated schedule delays are being managed within budget and below the [$12.88 billion] cost cap,” read the statement.
“This prudent step provides the most affordable path to deliver.”

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, Program Executive Officer for Aircraft Carriers Rear Adm. Tom Moore told reporters a design flaw in the General Atomics Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) had made the aircraft recovery system, “my major concern.”

The design flaw set the testing program for the AAG at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, N.J. back almost two years and put Ford at risk for a later-than March 2016 delivery.

On the other end of the ship the next generation launching system for Ford — the General Atomics Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) — successfully completed testing in two of the four catapults on the ship.

Last month the crew began moving onboard the ship, which is about 93 percent complete, the service said.

...

... and the above press-release; source:

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[TerraN_EmpirE]

Wonder if the French side of the bargain includes cross training to help the nascent Egyptian Marines perhaps even the USMC will also be used to teach the Egyptians amphibious landing assaults.

 

[Jeff Head]

Here you see US personnel installing a Phalanx 20mm CIWS and a RAM missile launcher on the new USS Gerald R. Ford.

Installing a Phalanx 20mm CIWS:





Installing a RAM missile launcer:





A RAM missile launcher installed:



See my new Flickr Album:

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[Jeff Head]

Wonder if the French side of the bargain includes cross training to help the nascent Egyptian Marines perhaps even the USMC will also be used to teach the Egyptians amphibious landing assaults.

Well, they are going to need a lot of that.

They are going from essentially no amphibious capability to acquiring to of the most capable large amphibious assault vessels available.

they will need to purchase helos (probably the ones Russia was navalizing specifically for these vessels) and landing craft for these two ships.