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Nice. Looks like the lovechild of a Cougar and a Dauphin.
Mil News Western Europe Military News
- Thread starter John A Silkstone
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Germany might be in the game for around 70 Battlefieldsupport/ Training Helos. Since they realized that not everything can be done by NH90 and Tiger and there are missions where those Airframes are just to expensive. Who knows maybe the H160M could be another contender. But my guess would be the H145M since it will already be operated by Special Forces and Armed Forces component of the German SAR structure.
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HMS Queen Elizabeth Closer to Operations With Transatlantic Training
LONDON — HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s future flagship, will deploy in late summer for the eastern seaboard of the United States, including a port visit in the Washington, D.C., area,(I imagine she will dock or anchor at Naval Support Facility Indian Head MD just south of D.C.) where she will host the Atlantic Future Forum, the U.K. Ministry of Defence announced.
The aircraft carrier, United Kingdom’s largest and most advanced warship ever built, will make the transatlantic journey for the second consecutive year to train alongside the U.K.’s closest ally. She will also make several port calls while deployed before returning home before Christmas.
While in the Washington area she will host the Atlantic Future Forum, which aims at bringing the U.S. and U.K. defense industry and military together to address the changing nature of warfare and shared threats both allies face at home and abroad.
“HMS Queen Elizabeth represents the best of British innovation and is a true embodiment of our international ambition,” said British Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt.
“The fact that this important ship will have visited the U.S. twice within her short service thus far is testament to our enduring transatlantic defense relationship. In the week that we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, it is only right that we continue to look at how we can deepen our global partnerships to promote peace and deter future conflict.”
The deployment, known as WESTLANT 19, will see Queen Elizabeth and her crew conduct deck and warfare trials with U.K. F-35 jets from 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron based in the United States and 617 Squadron based at RAF Marham as well rotary wing training with Merlin and Wildcat helicopters.
While stateside, she will also welcome U.S. Marine Corps vertical-lift F-35s on deck.
HMS Queen Elizabeth remains set to be deployed on global operations from 2021 and when Prince of Wales joins her in the fleet in the near future, the United Kingdom will have one carrier available at very high readiness at all times.
LONDON — HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s future flagship, will deploy in late summer for the eastern seaboard of the United States, including a port visit in the Washington, D.C., area,(I imagine she will dock or anchor at Naval Support Facility Indian Head MD just south of D.C.) where she will host the Atlantic Future Forum, the U.K. Ministry of Defence announced.
The aircraft carrier, United Kingdom’s largest and most advanced warship ever built, will make the transatlantic journey for the second consecutive year to train alongside the U.K.’s closest ally. She will also make several port calls while deployed before returning home before Christmas.
While in the Washington area she will host the Atlantic Future Forum, which aims at bringing the U.S. and U.K. defense industry and military together to address the changing nature of warfare and shared threats both allies face at home and abroad.
“HMS Queen Elizabeth represents the best of British innovation and is a true embodiment of our international ambition,” said British Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt.
“The fact that this important ship will have visited the U.S. twice within her short service thus far is testament to our enduring transatlantic defense relationship. In the week that we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, it is only right that we continue to look at how we can deepen our global partnerships to promote peace and deter future conflict.”
The deployment, known as WESTLANT 19, will see Queen Elizabeth and her crew conduct deck and warfare trials with U.K. F-35 jets from 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron based in the United States and 617 Squadron based at RAF Marham as well rotary wing training with Merlin and Wildcat helicopters.
While stateside, she will also welcome U.S. Marine Corps vertical-lift F-35s on deck.
HMS Queen Elizabeth remains set to be deployed on global operations from 2021 and when Prince of Wales joins her in the fleet in the near future, the United Kingdom will have one carrier available at very high readiness at all times.
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Imagine being the bloke whose foolishness and negligence cost your nation over a billion bucks.
Well, at least they're building a replacement. Many governments (European ones in particular) might've had went: "A shame, innit? Well, make do with what you have. We need those kronen for something else."
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They will buy training helos at least, that much is almost a given – but in the size range of H125M or smaller, I'd suspect. The existing fleet of EC135s hasn't reached the end of its lifespan yet, but they're too big and complex for initial training, and reportedly are difficult to handle under autorotation – which is why a part of the training of rotary wing aircrews has always been conducted on other types. With the Bo 105 now retired, the Army actually had to lease Jet Rangers from a civilian contractor to fill the gap. That's not a viable long-term solution for a number of reasons, not least that older Bell's are quite loud (the most inane crap counts in a banana republic such as this), and communities surrounding the training sites have been complaining a lot.
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The latest Infobrief Heer army newsletter deviates considerably from what had previously been leaked about the hilariously named upcoming "Army 4.0" reform of the land component of the German Armed Forces. The plan had been to create an army aviation maneuver enhancement brigade so as to service all aeronautical needs of the land forces. The updated reform plan, however, wisely places each of the future three German Army Divisions in charge of one composite combat aviation group consisting of
2 NH-90 equipped tactical transport squadrons,
1 Tiger-equipped combat helicopter squadron,
1 squadron equipped with a "light multirole support helicopter" and
support units.
In case anyone's wondering, German aviation squadrons comprise anything between 12 and 24 aircraft.
This new light multirole support helicopter is definitely a thing now, and @Navor was right. The released specification sheet has "H145M" written all over it imho.
Slowly but steadily, "Army 4.0" is taking shape. Talks with foreign governments are underway for apparently far-reaching cooperation schemes which will allow smaller armies to retain core capacities already eyed for axing, and give Germany the opportunity to stop hemorraghing money into way too top-heavy a system. For instance, that is how the Royal Netherlands Army avoided being laid bare of main battle tanks. They even got a German tank battalion out of the deal to bolster their mechanized brigade with.
I'll post more news as soon as possible. Here are some of the cornerstones, though:
Suffice it to say, I feel confident in suggesting our glorious governments have agreed upon using the German Army as a dress rehearsal for a future defense force of the European Union. In addition to two Dutch brigades already integrated into the German land forces (11th Airmobile and 43rd Mechanized Brigades), at least two more (presumably the Polish 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade and the Czech 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade) are slated to follow. Germany is also scheduled to place one airlift squadron under French Command in 2021, and initial talks have been underway to assign German naval assets in the Baltic Sea to either the Polish or Danish fleets.
In the meantime, the German Army has begun in earnest to rebuild a reserve structure. May 18th saw the establishment of the Bavarian Territorial Army Regiment with an interim strength of 4 companies. In the long run, every Federal State is slated to host reserve units in accordance to their size, somewhat like a national guard. (The current reserve structure has smaller units strewn all over the place, integrated into active parent units).
2 NH-90 equipped tactical transport squadrons,
1 Tiger-equipped combat helicopter squadron,
1 squadron equipped with a "light multirole support helicopter" and
support units.
In case anyone's wondering, German aviation squadrons comprise anything between 12 and 24 aircraft.
This new light multirole support helicopter is definitely a thing now, and @Navor was right. The released specification sheet has "H145M" written all over it imho.
Slowly but steadily, "Army 4.0" is taking shape. Talks with foreign governments are underway for apparently far-reaching cooperation schemes which will allow smaller armies to retain core capacities already eyed for axing, and give Germany the opportunity to stop hemorraghing money into way too top-heavy a system. For instance, that is how the Royal Netherlands Army avoided being laid bare of main battle tanks. They even got a German tank battalion out of the deal to bolster their mechanized brigade with.
I'll post more news as soon as possible. Here are some of the cornerstones, though:
- 22 new battalions
- 1 brigade-sized maneuver enhancement element in every division
- introduction of aviation assets into every division
- integration of up to 5 allied brigades into the German Army, as requested by the government of the Netherlands and the Polish land forces
- 3 mechanized brigades and 1 air assault brigade are to be enabled to be deployable within 25 days
- 33 barracks or depots recently closed or in the process of closure will be returned to operations
- Reintroduction of organic SHORAD capacities, in all likelihood 1 battalion per division or 1 company per brigade
- Oerlikon Skyranger (Boxer APC) for SHORAD, 72 or 96 units
- Acquisition of the RCH 155 (Boxer APC) wheeled self-propelled howitzer
- Acquisition of another artillery piece of unknown configuration, rumor has it be a self-propelled automatic mortar
- Upgrade of the PzH2000 and MLRS to an unnamed standard
- Acquisition of about 100 additional Boxer APCs, armed with a 30mm autocannon
- The total fleet of Puma IFVs is to be raised to 580, all are to be requipped with better machineguns
- 320 Leopard 2 are to be upgraded to the A7V standard or equivalent (whatever that means)
- Corresponding reform projects in the other armed services: In all likelihood, the Air Force gets to retain 13 A400M which were slated for resale, for a total of 53 A400M and 6 C-130J tactical transport aircrafts; also, it will receive 60 CH-47F or a smaller number* of CH-53K to support the land forces
* Conjecture on my part, supported by press releases from both manufacturers: The funds granted by parliament are sufficient to buy 60 CH-47F, but only about 48 CH-53K.
Suffice it to say, I feel confident in suggesting our glorious governments have agreed upon using the German Army as a dress rehearsal for a future defense force of the European Union. In addition to two Dutch brigades already integrated into the German land forces (11th Airmobile and 43rd Mechanized Brigades), at least two more (presumably the Polish 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade and the Czech 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade) are slated to follow. Germany is also scheduled to place one airlift squadron under French Command in 2021, and initial talks have been underway to assign German naval assets in the Baltic Sea to either the Polish or Danish fleets.
In the meantime, the German Army has begun in earnest to rebuild a reserve structure. May 18th saw the establishment of the Bavarian Territorial Army Regiment with an interim strength of 4 companies. In the long run, every Federal State is slated to host reserve units in accordance to their size, somewhat like a national guard. (The current reserve structure has smaller units strewn all over the place, integrated into active parent units).
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German Navy commissions lead F125 frigate Baden-Württemberg
FGS Baden-Württemberg, the lead ship of the German Navy’s new F125 class frigates, officially entered service in a ceremony on June 17.
The 149,6-meter ship was commissioned in attendance of German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen, who arrived in Wilhelmshaven just hours after unveiling the next-generation fighter aircraft that will be developed as part of the Franco-German-Spanish project at the Paris Air Show in France.
FGS Baden-Württemberg was commissioned eight years after thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) was selected as prime contractor for the delivery of four 7000-ton frigates that would replace the eight Bremen-class frigates currently in service with the German Navy.
According to TKMS, the second ship in the class, the Nordrhein-Westfalen, will be ready for delivery this year. The final two ships are planned to be delivered within the next 2 years.
The frigates are armed with Harpoon and RAM missiles, a 127 mm Oto Melara gun which is capable of firing the Vulcano guided ammunition for land attacks, two 27 mm and five 12.7 mm guns. They will have a core crew of 120, with an additional 70 personnel for specific missions.
By the end of the decade, the four ships will be operated by a total of eight crews with a total of 120 personnel each. The navy refers to this as the multiple-crew model where the eight crews will be operating as a closed team on a rotation principle.
The frigates will run on the so-called combined diesel-electric and gas (CODLAG) propulsion system. The system essentially consists of electric motors that will draw power from diesel generators. The new ships will carry four deployable boats and have two container spots on the middle deck.
The ARGE F125 consortium which is responsible for the delivery of ships comprises thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the lead company and Lürssen Werft in Bremen.
The delivery process was not without complications, however, as the Baden-Württemberg had to be returned to the builder following delivery for rectification work that took over a year to complete.
https://navaltoday.com/2019/06/18/german-navy-commissions-lead-f125-frigate-baden-wurttemberg/
FGS Baden-Württemberg, the lead ship of the German Navy’s new F125 class frigates, officially entered service in a ceremony on June 17.
The 149,6-meter ship was commissioned in attendance of German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen, who arrived in Wilhelmshaven just hours after unveiling the next-generation fighter aircraft that will be developed as part of the Franco-German-Spanish project at the Paris Air Show in France.
FGS Baden-Württemberg was commissioned eight years after thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) was selected as prime contractor for the delivery of four 7000-ton frigates that would replace the eight Bremen-class frigates currently in service with the German Navy.
According to TKMS, the second ship in the class, the Nordrhein-Westfalen, will be ready for delivery this year. The final two ships are planned to be delivered within the next 2 years.
The frigates are armed with Harpoon and RAM missiles, a 127 mm Oto Melara gun which is capable of firing the Vulcano guided ammunition for land attacks, two 27 mm and five 12.7 mm guns. They will have a core crew of 120, with an additional 70 personnel for specific missions.
By the end of the decade, the four ships will be operated by a total of eight crews with a total of 120 personnel each. The navy refers to this as the multiple-crew model where the eight crews will be operating as a closed team on a rotation principle.
The frigates will run on the so-called combined diesel-electric and gas (CODLAG) propulsion system. The system essentially consists of electric motors that will draw power from diesel generators. The new ships will carry four deployable boats and have two container spots on the middle deck.
The ARGE F125 consortium which is responsible for the delivery of ships comprises thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the lead company and Lürssen Werft in Bremen.
The delivery process was not without complications, however, as the Baden-Württemberg had to be returned to the builder following delivery for rectification work that took over a year to complete.
https://navaltoday.com/2019/06/18/german-navy-commissions-lead-f125-frigate-baden-wurttemberg/
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Germany:
Two German Eurofighter Typhoon jets collide during training
Two Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role jets operated by the German military crashed in the north of the country during a training exercise on Monday, June 24, according to German media reports and the defense ministry.
“The Eurofighters collided in the air and then crashed,” Spiegel cited a Bundeswehr spokesperson as saying. According to the report, the German Ministry of Defense said the two planes crashed about 10 km (6 miles) apart in the Laage area, one in Jabel in the Mecklenburg Lake District and another near a forest in Nossentiner.
There was no immediate information about the cause of the crash.
Both pilots were able to eject from the aircraft, the air force said. Both aircraft were unarmed and were from Tactical Force Wing 73 “Steinhoff” based in Laage near Rostock who were flying a training mission with a third Eurofighter. The pilot of the third plane saw the two others parachute to the ground, the Luftwaffe said.
One of the pilots was found alive and a search is underway for the second, DPA news agency reported.
thedefensepost.com
Two German Eurofighter Typhoon jets collide during training
Two Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role jets operated by the German military crashed in the north of the country during a training exercise on Monday, June 24, according to German media reports and the defense ministry.
“The Eurofighters collided in the air and then crashed,” Spiegel cited a Bundeswehr spokesperson as saying. According to the report, the German Ministry of Defense said the two planes crashed about 10 km (6 miles) apart in the Laage area, one in Jabel in the Mecklenburg Lake District and another near a forest in Nossentiner.
There was no immediate information about the cause of the crash.
Both pilots were able to eject from the aircraft, the air force said. Both aircraft were unarmed and were from Tactical Force Wing 73 “Steinhoff” based in Laage near Rostock who were flying a training mission with a third Eurofighter. The pilot of the third plane saw the two others parachute to the ground, the Luftwaffe said.
One of the pilots was found alive and a search is underway for the second, DPA news agency reported.
Two German Eurofighter Typhoon jets collide during training
Two German military Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role jets crashed in the north of the country during a training exercise
thedefensepost.com
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Some pundits have called on the German Navy to rebrand the F-125 as a destroyer due to her size and displacement, but she lacks organic capacities to fight all kinds of threats in equal measure. It's a hybrid class, I think, almost as though someone had taken a frigate, a littoral combat ship and a command vessel and shoven them into a mixer.
I've read articles expressing concerns about the vessel's capacity to protect the Baltic Sea, but they seem to be missing the point. The F-125 class was never meant to operate alone in high-intensity conflicts.
I've read articles expressing concerns about the vessel's capacity to protect the Baltic Sea, but they seem to be missing the point. The F-125 class was never meant to operate alone in high-intensity conflicts.
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Germany:
Two German Eurofighter Typhoon jets collide during training
Two Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role jets operated by the German military crashed in the north of the country during a training exercise on Monday, June 24, according to German media reports and the defense ministry.
“The Eurofighters collided in the air and then crashed,” Spiegel cited a Bundeswehr spokesperson as saying. According to the report, the German Ministry of Defense said the two planes crashed about 10 km (6 miles) apart in the Laage area, one in Jabel in the Mecklenburg Lake District and another near a forest in Nossentiner.
There was no immediate information about the cause of the crash.
Both pilots were able to eject from the aircraft, the air force said. Both aircraft were unarmed and were from Tactical Force Wing 73 “Steinhoff” based in Laage near Rostock who were flying a training mission with a third Eurofighter. The pilot of the third plane saw the two others parachute to the ground, the Luftwaffe said.
One of the pilots was found alive and a search is underway for the second, DPA news agency reported.
Two German Eurofighter Typhoon jets collide during training
Two German military Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role jets crashed in the north of the country during a training exercise
In all likelihood, the second pilot has died. Local news channels report that body parts have been found.
A black day for the German Air Force. May the pilot rest in peace, and condolences to their next of kin and their comrades.
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Just saw the news, one ejected safely and the other probably killed.
A bad day for the Luftwaffe.
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The second pilot is now confirmed dead. RIP. 
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Somehow I don't like the fact that these ships don't have any ASW component at all. They were designed for inshore peacekeeping and policing missions in low-threat-level conflicts, but doesn't mean that there won't be any underwater threats if things start to escalate.
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Well, they do have ASW-capable helicopters. I agree that organic capacities would've been much preferrable but they're not completely helpless. Besides, all ships are somehwat exposed to submerged threats in the scenario you outlined. Even our ASW frigates don't cruise about spooking whales with their sonar, with depth-charges ready to deploy.
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The German Air Force has decided not to ground its fleet of Eurofighters, believing the accident to be a result of human error. Initial press reports about widespread technical issues had been grossly misleading. A reform of operational procedures in 2018 had led to a drastic increase in operational readiness of the Eurofighter, with 90 of 138 delivered aircraft ready for service.
However, initial investigations into the accident have raised concerns about the ejection seat. In the case of the deceased pilot, explosive charges designed to separate the cockpit canopy from the aircraft have been found intact; it is believed that the pilot collided with the canopy upon ejection, suffering fatal injuries in the process. It is to be investigated whether the ejection seat failed or was triggered in a situation exceeding the system's parameters.
Monday's crash, leading to the loss of the aircrafts "30+48" and "30+55", is the first deadly accident with the type for the German Air Force since it first entered service fifteen years ago.
However, initial investigations into the accident have raised concerns about the ejection seat. In the case of the deceased pilot, explosive charges designed to separate the cockpit canopy from the aircraft have been found intact; it is believed that the pilot collided with the canopy upon ejection, suffering fatal injuries in the process. It is to be investigated whether the ejection seat failed or was triggered in a situation exceeding the system's parameters.
Monday's crash, leading to the loss of the aircrafts "30+48" and "30+55", is the first deadly accident with the type for the German Air Force since it first entered service fifteen years ago.
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RIP Oberleutnant!
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More tragic news from German military aviation: Today a helicopter crashed near the town of Aerzen, Lower Saxony. At least one person is reported dead. 
Article in German
Article in German
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