Construction of the third Astute class submarine completed

20 in September at the plant of BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness held the ceremony of naming the Artful Astute-class nuclear submarine for the British Navy, according to a BAE Systems press release.

During the ceremony, the 7400-ton and 97-meter Artful submarine was officially named in the presence of thousands of spectators to mark the end of the construction process. The ceremony was performed by Lady Amanda Zambellas, wife of the first naval lord of the Royal Military fleet Admiral Sir George Zambellas inside the giant Devonshire Dock Hall (DDH) at BAE Systems.

After the ceremony, Artful will remain at DDH to complete a series of commissioning work before being launched at the beginning of 2014 for further testing and acceptance into the fleet.

As the managing director of BAE Systems Maritime - Submarines John Hudson (John Hudson) said, the company decided for the first time to hold a separate naming and launching ceremony.

“We have been designing and building submarines in Barrow for over 100 years, and during this time we have been striving for continuous improvement. This is one of the examples where we took into account the lessons learned from the previous construction of submarines, the result of which will be the most advanced submarine, ever was withdrawn from our shipyard. "

BAE Systems is the main contractor in the design and construction of seven Astute submarines for the Royal Navy of Great Britain.

Comments

[klimpopov]

Honestly, brothers, I don’t know where to post. So I’ll leave it here, at the discretion of the moderators.
AK-12 was not allowed to state tests on the development work of "Ratnik"
“The famous weapon brand Kalashnikov seems to be leaving the Russian army. The Ministry of Defense did not allow Izhmash's new Kalashnikov, an AK-12 assault rifle, developed as part of the creation of the new generation Ratnik combat equipment, before state testing.

- The AK-12 assault rifle and other products based on it did not pass preliminary tests and are not declared for state tests at all. Instead of them, for state tests, the Degtyarev factory machine gun was chosen as a combat complex of Ratnik equipment, ”Izvestia was told at the headquarters of the Ground Forces.

The chief designer of the Degtyarev plant (the city of Kovrov, Vladimir Region) Vladimir Gromov explained to Izvestia that this was a new small-arms weapon based on the AEK-971 assault rifle, developed in the 1980's. Its distinguishing feature is a balanced automation system, when the recoil from the shot is compensated by a special device - a balancer moving in the direction opposite to the bolt group.

- Preliminary tests were carried out in five categories - two machine guns, two machine guns and a sniper rifle. For all five positions, we are admitted to state tests. They will be completed before the end of the year, ”Gromov explained.

A member of the test commission from the Ground Forces told Izvestia that the new Kovrov submachine gun showed better accuracy and accuracy, including when firing bursts from unstable positions. At the same time, the samples presented by Izhmash (now the Kalashnikov concern) did not suit the military either in terms of reliability, accuracy, or ergonomics.

- The Kalashnikov concern has about a month to eliminate the flaws identified in the preliminary tests and to show us a new sample with the flaws removed. If he shows the necessary characteristics, we will allow him before the state tests, but this is unlikely. “Our demands were known to the Izhevsk people two years ago, and yet they could not create a weapon that satisfies them, I doubt that they will be able to do this in a month,” the representative of the High Command of the Ground Forces explained.

[klimpopov]

In the Kalashnikov concern, Izvestia was promised not to give up the struggle for an order from the Ministry of Defense. Director of the Moscow branch of the concern Oleg Chikirev, who headed the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (GRAU in 2007-2009), is responsible for the procurement of all types of small arms and ammunition) and was removed from his post after explosions of ammunition in Ulyanovsk, told Izvestia that AK-12 will take part in state tests at the expense of the Kalashnikov concern.

- It was decided that the Kovrov [machines] go [for state tests] at the expense of budgetary funds, and Izhevsk - at the expense of the enterprise’s own funds. To state tests [our machines] are allowed. There it is necessary to refine [individual elements] so that all requirements are met, ”Chikirev explained.

A representative of the High Command of the Ground Forces explained to Izvestia that state tests are tests for state money.

- Since the state does not want to pay for testing the machine, it means that it does not need it. And nobody forbids the development of AK-12 [to the Kalashnikov concern]. In any case, the final decision on bulk purchases will be made in 2014 after the state tests and trial operation in the troops, the representative of the Ground Forces explained.

He added that for the military tests for the army several hundred samples of new machine guns, machine guns and sniper rifles will be purchased. Moreover, he did not rule out that the AK-12 would also be "taken to shoot."

Ironically, the equipment itself was shown to President Vladimir Putin just a week ago in Izhevsk at the opening of the new Kalashnikov arms concern, which was created on the basis of Izhmash. Now the newly formed concern will have to look for sales markets.

Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences Viktor Korablin explained to Izvestia that AK-12 could be offered to foreign markets, the volume of which is measured in hundreds of thousands of copies.

- The machine gun is the main weapon in the armies of the world, therefore, all arms manufacturers compete for its sales market. Today, of course, no one talks about volumes of millions of pieces, but tens of thousands of units may well find a buyer. However, we must not forget that the issue of the sale of various types of weapons abroad is being decided at the state level, ”Korablin explained.

The editor-in-chief of the specialized magazine Arsenal of the Fatherland, Viktor Murakhovsky, explained to Izvestia that the Kovrov machine gun had not yet been put into serial production, so the Degtyarev plant would have to significantly modernize production.

- Kovrov plant, generally speaking, is a private enterprise. He does not enter into any concerns. And his military products, according to recent data, occupy 12 – 15% of total production. Therefore, if there is a large order for these machines, they will have to expand production, ”Murakhovsky said.

At the same time, Vladimir Gromov explained that the plant’s management was counting on government assistance in establishing a series production line.

- We have a lot of experience in organizing mass production, we produce all machine guns in this country. In any case, the organization of mass production of new weapons requires a decision of the Military-Industrial Commission under the Government of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Defense. “The number of machines that will be needed for their production, and, accordingly, the final cost of the products, depends on how many military machines are needed,” said Gromov.

He added that the Degtyarev factory expects to purchase new foreign machines to create a production line of new automatic machines.

- There is practically no domestic machine tool park. We have never sat on bad equipment and have a good idea of ​​where and what needs to be purchased in order to organize mass production, - explained Gromov. "
http://izvestia.ru/news/557542#ixzz2fkaYoyzy

[31231]

I don’t see anything wrong, competition is also needed in defense enterprises.

[klimpopov]

So do I. Still, not ordinary news. Kalash has been serving faithfully for more than fifty years, but here he could not compete, however, the tendency on Izhmash ...

[Kyrgyz]

Nokia kept the mobile phone market in the 90s now bankrupt, the American automakers, once the flagships of the industry, are now breaking apart, they didn’t catch the tender, what can I say, you can’t relax

[Nukem999]

...............

[Zomanus]

Yes, and right. AEK awesome thing. It’s just that Kalash was more familiar, production was debugged, and therefore did not twitch. And when it came time to show something new, everything was decided.

[Zhenya]

The problem is that AEK is much more complicated - it’s a weapon of professionals, and AK is a weapon of soldiers. Therefore, the abandonment of AK is clearly not in favor of the RF Armed Forces. I am absolutely sure that this is a lobbied and pure business, not a concern for the troops.

[PSih2097]

Quote: Marrying

The problem is that AEK is much more complicated - it’s a weapon of professionals,

Well, if AEK is difficult for you, what can you say about AN94 "Abakan" ...

Quote: klimpopov

At the same time, the samples presented by Izhmash (now the Kalashnikov concern) did not suit the military either in terms of reliability, accuracy, or ergonomics.

But this is a pity, I was so hoping for the SV-98M-338 (CB-338M1) brought to the modular system ...

[Kyrgyz]

Quote: Marrying

And AK is a soldier’s weapon. Therefore, the abandonment of AK is clearly not in favor of the RF Armed Forces

Following this logic Mosin will be enough and sapper blades.
from AEK it’s easier for the conscript to hit the target

[Zhenya]

Do you really think that the conscript will be given AEK ???? Maximum AK-74M!

[StolzSS]

With that rifle profanity, instead of preparing that now it will definitely be of little use, but if a soldier is properly trained in rifle preparation, this is an excellent unit .... in general, we'll see and wait ...

[Airman]

Everything flows, everything changes, but Kalashnikov chose all the reserves of modernization, and now something new is needed. For too long rested on their laurels.

[alone]

about a british boat. bastards work.