3 New Navy Vessels for Irish Naval Service

nowecant

Might be of interest

Toxic dump in Cork to be turned into park


The East Tip at Haulbowline will get a €40 million clean up.


THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Agency will award a €40 million licence that will see a toxic waste dump turned into a park.

The EPA has told the Minister for Agriculture of their proposed decision to grant a waste licence for the remediation of East Tip site at Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour.

Minister Simon Coveney TD welcomed the notification, which will clear up the former steel plant on the site.

The 22-acre dump at Haulbowline Island, which was previously the site of Irish Ispat – and before that, Irish Steel – carries waste and slag left behind from the steel works which continued there for over six decades.

“We look forward to the EPAs final approved decision being issued in due course, while respecting the provisions for objections provided for, which should pave the way for Cork County Council to commence the detailed design and execution phase of the core remediation work at Haulbowline Island in the near future.

“I have been determined that this project will proceed with minimal delays and the hard work which has gone on behind the scenes by both Cork County Council and my own Department has enabled substantial progress to be made this year.

“The whole of Island approach adopted is now bringing rapid results.”

Coveney added that the the works would “bring substantial benefits to the local economy” and would transform the island “into a genuine national infrastructural asset”.

Famed campaigner Erin Brockovich had previously called for the dump to be cleaned, owing to the potential presence of chromium VI there – the same chemical which had caused the contamination of drinking water in the campaign she is most known for.

http://www.thejournal.ie/epa-to-turn-toxic-dump-in-haulbowline-into-a-park-1531156-Jun2014/

Larbre34

^

The clean up of the steel plant site is of course welcome and overdue, but Id question the creation of a public park on a site which is remote to access by road and which might limit the potential for the naval service to expand the base facilities should the need arise in future. There are no shortage of attractive sites around the landward sides of the harbour for a park, should they be needed.

Markcheese

If a park stabilizes the tip, it's probably the cheapest longterm option,and the land is still available if the navy have a need in the long term..

Tabnabs

Is the Samuel Beckett now in active duty and finished with sea trials etc.?

sparky42

Tabnabs wrote: »

Is the Samuel Beckett now in active duty and finished with sea trials etc.?

I think they are still working up with her, she's was out on the fleet exercises, but has been in the Basin since then.

roundymac

I went to France with Brittany Ferries on the 21/6, she was in the basin then and was there again this morning when I returned, tied up at the same berth too.

Jawgap

Now, we just need to add one of these to each of then new vessels....

US Navy shows off its new firepower

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) – The Navy is showing off its latest weaponry – guns that use an electromagnetic force.

The railguns fire at greater rangers and are less expensive to operate. It can shoot a projectile at Mach 7 -- that's about 5,300 miles an hour. This would fly from New York to Washington DC in about 6 minutes.

The Navy calls it a game changer, a gun that uses short bursts of electromagnetic energy instead of gun powder. To fire projectiles so fast, the target disintegrates on impact.

"It can shoot down ballistic missiles. It can shoot down very advanced cruise missiles. It can shoot down fast moving aircraft. It can shoot down fast moving ships. It can even support soldiers and Marines at 100 miles on shore," Rear Adm. Matt Klunder said.

The Navy calls it effective and affordable. The projectiles -- which have navigational electronics inside them -- cost about $25,000 each. A single cruise missile can easily top $1.5 million.

aindriu80

I think E. Kenny said he was exercising the option for a third vessel. No word on any larger vessels though.

mikeym

The Le Aoife is to be decommissioned in early 2015.

Jawgap

mikeym wrote: »

The Le Aoife is to be decommissioned in early 2015.

She's in Waterford today and open to the public....

LÉ AOIFE, scheduled 4 decommissioning n 2015, will b open 2 public on the Waterford City Quays from 1400 - 1700 today

sparky42

aindriu80 wrote: »

I think E. Kenny said he was exercising the option for a third vessel. No word on any larger vessels though.

I'd say that any new ships after the third (and yes the option has been taken up) will have to wait until after the new Defence Paper( I wonder how the change of Ministers has effected this?)

sparky42

mikeym wrote: »

The Le Aoife is to be decommissioned in early 2015.

That's not really surprising, I'd say Joyce would be ready in the same time period.

Markcheese

I'd imagine, that, if just after the bust, someone had offered the navy 3 spankingnew 90 meter vessels, but no multi role one ,the defence forces would have assumed they were having a laugh ,but jumped to sign the deal quick before there was a change of heart...

BowWow

sparky42 wrote: »

I'd say that any new ships after the third (and yes the option has been taken up) will have to wait until after the new Defence Paper( I wonder how the change of Ministers has effected this?)

The new Minister for Defence is from Cork....just saying

nowecant

sparky42 wrote: »

I'd say that any new ships after the third (and yes the option has been taken up) will have to wait until after the new Defence Paper( I wonder how the change of Ministers has effected this?)

Any idea of when the new Defense Paper is coming out?

mikeym

BowWow wrote: »

The new Minister for Defence is from Cork....just saying

And he has a good knowledge of the Naval Service aswell.

Larbre34

Just a pity it will be last on a long list of his responsibilities.

aindriu80

nowecant wrote: »

Any idea of when the new Defense Paper is coming out?

soon I think. Irish times pushing a few articles on it already. Retired generals reckon we should be spending at least 1% of GDP per year but its only half that.

sparky42

aindriu80 wrote: »

soon I think. Irish times pushing a few articles on it already. Retired generals reckon we should be spending at least 1% of GDP per year but its only half that.

It's been a while since we spent 1% on defence from memory, quick look at the net suggests about the mid 90's I wonder in real terms what that was given the budgets back then?

Garzard

sparky42 wrote: »

It's been a while since we spent 1% on defence from memory, quick look at the net suggests about the mid 90's I wonder in real terms what that was given the budgets back then?

I'd say the budget will start to increase somewhat considering we're going to be adding another SB class ship after the James Joyce and also with the large 2014 / 2015 recruitment drive. They may still also be looking at the MRV / EPV's. Plus I'd imagine we'll have to retire the Bofors, Scorpions and Cessna's soon enough due to their age. Whether they'll actually be replaced is a different story.

sparky42

Garzard wrote: »

I'd say the budget will start to increase somewhat considering we're going to be adding another SB class ship after the James Joyce and also with the large 2014 / 2015 recruitment drive. They may still also be looking at the MRV / EPV's. Plus I'd imagine we'll have to retire the Bofors, Scorpions and Cessna's soon enough due to their age. Whether they'll actually be replaced is a different story.

I'd doubt it would increase much, the cost of the P63 is already factored in and the crew numbers are pretty much the same as an Aoife. The personnel numbers might mark a small increase alright but that will take time to play out, as to the EPV we don't even know if that's going to go ahead still and won't until the Paper comes out. Even in best case and we do get 1/2 I'd bet you are taking about the better part of a decade for the purchase. The land based Bofors are pretty "new" having been bought from the Danes in the 00's other than being outdated tech not sure why we'd get rid of them, the Cessna's have been mentioned as something that's on the list for replacement but again when is the question, as to the Scorpions I'd bet they go unreplaced with the MOWAG's being used as the excuse why

Garzard

sparky42 wrote: »

I'd doubt it would increase much, the cost of the P63 is already factored in and the crew numbers are pretty much the same as an Aoife. The personnel numbers might mark a small increase alright but that will take time to play out, as to the EPV we don't even know if that's going to go ahead still and won't until the Paper comes out. Even in best case and we do get 1/2 I'd bet you are taking about the better part of a decade for the purchase. The land based Bofors are pretty "new" having been bought from the Danes in the 00's other than being outdated tech not sure why we'd get rid of them, the Cessna's have been mentioned as something that's on the list for replacement but again when is the question, as to the Scorpions I'd bet they go unreplaced with the MOWAG's being used as the excuse why

Somehow I doubt they'll let 14 Scorpions go unreplaced, especially with the Panhard 90's already gone, as they'd be losing the only mobile heavy gun platforms [if you exclude our six 30mm cannon MOWAGS]. I certainly wouldn't anyway. A handy replacement could be a similar number of a 90mm / 105mm version of the MOWAG, something similar to the Mobile Gun System. Anyway, I suppose time will tell, as you said we'll have to wait for the next White Paper, likely even the next few.

Larbre34

Garzard wrote: »

A handy replacement could be a similar number of a 90mm / 105mm version of the MOWAG, something similar to the Mobile Gun System.

The MGS is a marvellous gun, but the vehicle is no good against anything above RPG

LT105 light tank from Austria for Scorpion replacement. 20 should do it!

roundymac

Larbre34 wrote: »

The MGS is a marvellous gun, but the vehicle is no good against anything above RPG

LT105 light tank from Austria for Scorpion replacement. 20 should do it!

Eh, this is the 2 New Navy Vessels for the Irish Naval Service thread, not the "tank" thread lads.;)

nowecant

Might be of interest to some

Free access to LÉ Aoife and buildings celebrating Cork City’s heritage



The public will have a last chance today to go aboard the LÉ Aoife in Cork, before the naval vessel is taken out of service early next year.

The opportunity for land-lubbers to see the deck and the bridge of the offshore patrol vessel — in service since being built in Cork in 1979 — is part of Cork Heritage Open Day.

It is unique among the 40 events as all the other doors being opened to the public are buildings around the city.

LÉ Aoife will be open for tours from 10am to 12.30pm and from 2pm-5pm. Previous vessel tours have attracted huge numbers and long queues along the quay to step aboard.

LÉ Aoife is expected to be replaced early next year by the LÉ James Joyce.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/free-access-to-le-aoife-and-buildings-celebrating-cork-citys-heritage-283286.html

aindriu80

so long Aoife !

Horse84

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/navy-to-use-drones-to-improve-surveillance-285010.html

sparky42

Horse84 wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/navy-to-use-drones-to-improve-surveillance-285010.html

Well that's well interesting and something I didn't expect to hear about for another few years at best.

So Scan Eagle maybe? Though that doesn't need runways?

nowecant

Great news, I wonder how much of the Irish Steal site will be transferred to the Navy? Are the Quays to be refurbished on the east side? From google maps that looks like it is not in use.

Will they now control all of the basin/island?

sparky42

nowecant wrote: »

Great news, I wonder how much of the Irish Steal site will be transferred to the Navy? Are the Quays to be refurbished on the east side? From google maps that looks like it is not in use.

Will they now control all of the basin/island?

They are using the other side of the basin, there's a generator set up there for shore power already. The shot of the Basin must be older than it being installed

The Indo is reporting that it will be a €50 million investment in the Base for the new systems with the IMERC and Maritime College involved in the development?