Marinebouw.nl

Damen dient bezwaar in: ‘onrechtmatigheden bij aanbesteding en gunning Roemeense korvetten’

10/07/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

Damen heeft gisteren bezwaar aangetekend tegen de voorlopige gunning van het Roemeense korvettenprogramma aan het Franse Naval Group. Volgens Damen is er sprake van verschillende onrechtmatigheden bij de aanbesteding en gunning. Naval Group won de strijd om de bouw van vier korvetten en de modernisering van twee fregatten. Er is 1,6 miljard Euro mee gemoeid.

Vorige week werd bekend dat Naval Group door Roemenië was uitgekozen om de vier nieuwe korvetten te leveren. Roemenië verkoos de vier Franse Gowind-korvetten boven de Sigma-schepen die Damen aanbood. De Franse prijs lag 50 miljoen euro lager.

De bekendmaking volgde na een lange vertraging. Eind 2018 zou al een keuze gemaakt worden, maar de aanbesteding werd opgeschort. Volgens de Roemeense regering was dat omdat er onrechtmatigheden waren aangetroffen. De opschorting werd in Frankrijk gezien als doelbewuste vertragingstactiek ten gunste van Damen.

Vorige week werd echter een winnaar aangewezen. De strijd is echter nog niet helemaal gestreden als het aan Damen ligt. Gisteren heeft het Gorinchemse bedrijf bezwaar ingediend bij de anti-corruptie autoriteiten van Roemenië en het tribunaal van Boekarest in verband met “verschillende onrechtmatigheden bij de aanbesteding en gunning van het Roemeense korvettenprogramma”.

Damen wijst er op dat de onregelmatigheden al eerder voor het Roemeense ministerie van Defensie aanleiding vormden om de besluitvorming rond de aanbesteding op te schorten. “Afgelopen week werd echter onverwachts bekend gemaakt dat, ondanks de eerdere bedenkingen en de nog lopende onderzoeksprocedure, het korvettenprogramma aan het Franse staatsbedrijf Naval Group is gegund,” zo licht het bedrijf toe

Lees verder op Marineschepen.nl

Veel belangstelling voor jaarlijkse ketendag marinebouw bij Damen Shipyards

09/07/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

Vrijdag 5 juli organiseerde Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding de jaarlijkse ketendag marinebouw. Samen met vertegenwoordigers van 85 bedrijven en kennisinstellingen werd vooruitgekeken naar ontwikkelingen op het gebied van innovatie, bouw en onderhoud van de nieuwe Nederlandse marinevloot. De aanwezige bedrijven vormen een sterke keten die van groot belang is bij het realiseren van zowel grote als kleinere marinebouwprojecten.

De genodigden werden ontvangen op het werfterrein van Damen Shipyards in Gorinchem. Arnout Damen verwelkomde alle aanwezigen en keek vooruit naar de komende Nederlandse marinebouwprojecten. Hij benadrukte de mogelijkheden hoe deze schepen en onderzeeboten van de toekomst door de Nederlandse marinebouw gerealiseerd kunnen worden.
Daarna werd door directeur inkoop Rik Meerman uiteengezet hoe de Nederlandse marinebouw juist door in teamverband te werken een uitstekende exportpositie wist bereiken. Hij lichtte daarbij met name innovatieaspecten in marineprogramma’s toe.

Na het inhoudelijke deel was er tijd voor netwerken, verschillende rondvaarten op een Damen fast crew supplier en een unieke VR-experience. Daarmee waanden gasten zich, door middel van een VR-bril, op een patrouilleschip van de Holland klasse van de Koninklijke Marine.

Bekijk hier een korte sfeerimpressie van de ketendag.

Bekijk het volledige bericht op de website van NMT

Onderzeeër redding Oefening aan de westkust

03/07/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

Wat ze aan de talkshowtafels niet vertelden over Ursula von der Leyen

03/07/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

Wat maar weinig mensen weten is hoe de nieuwe voorzitter van de Europese Commissie, Ursula von der Leyen, al jaren samen met collega-vriendin Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert stilletjes werkt aan de integratie van de Nederlandse en Duitse krijgsmacht. (En dat ze plagiaat pleegde.)

Het is dus Ursula von der Leyen, en niet Frans Timmermans, die voorzitter wordt van de Europese Commissie. De Duitse Von der Leyen werd als een grote onbekende gepresenteerd: het was nogal beschamend hoe het luie journaille en de kletsende klasse aan talkshowtafels niets anders wist te vertellen dan dat ze een dark horse was, met een niet al te gelukkige baan als minister van Defensie in Duitsland, van ‘christendemocratische huize’ is, een vrouw is en zeven kinderen heeft.

Op zijn minst had men op kunnen merken dat Von der Leyen misschien nog wel Europeser is dan Jean Claude Juncker, dat ze een vriendin van onze vorige minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert is, en misschien mentaal wel half-Nederlands kan worden genoemd. Samen vormden ze proestend de afdeling girlpower in de Navo en werkten ze stilletjes aan de integratie van het Nederlandse en de Duitse krijgsmacht.

Alleen al onze landmacht is via meer dan driehonderd projecten innig verweven met de Duitse, blikvanger is de Luchtmobiele Brigade die geïntegreerd is met Division Schnelle Kräfte en onder gemeenschappelijk commando in Duitsland staat. Von der Leyen en Hennis zetten in februari 2016 hun handtekening onder een vergaande militaire samenwerkingsovereenkomst waarmee de Duitse marine medegebruiker werd van de Karel Doorman, een logistiek ondersteuningsschip en het Seebataillon van de Duitse marine wordt opgenomen in de Koninklijke Marine.

Lees verder op Vrij Nederland

European NATO members to boost spending this year

25/06/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

June 25 (UPI) — The European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will increase defense spending for the fourth consecutive year amid calls by President Donald Trump for the allies to spend a greater share of their budgets on defense.

In a report released Tuesday on the 29-member alliance, NATO said the European countries would average 1.58 percent of gross domestic product this year on defense, which is an increase from 1.53 percent in 2018, 1.48 percent in 2017 and 1.46 percent in 2016.

The expenditures are military spending — not payments to NATO.

“This is a good trend and we expect this to continue,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters from his Brussels headquarters.

In 2014, NATO members pledged to spend at least 2 percent of GDP on defense by 2024.

Seven nations will spend at least 2 percent on defense this year compared with three in 2014. European nations achieving this goals are Greece at 2.24 percent, Britain at 2.13 percent, Estonia at 2.13 percent, Romania at 2.04 percent, Latvia at 2.01 percent and Poland at 2.01 percent. The estimate for Lithuania is just shy of 2 percent, at 1.98 percent.

Comparatively, the United States tops the list at 3.42 percent with an estimated of $752 billion in spending, while in 2014 it was 3.73 percent at $654 billion.

The United States accounts for more than two-thirds of NATO’s defense expenditure of $1 trillion.

Trump threatened to pull the United States out of NATO at the alliance’s last summit in July 2018.

“For years, the United States was being treated very unfairly by NATO — but now we have secured a $100 billion increase in defense spending from NATO allies,” Trump said at the State of the Union address in February. “Under my administration, we will never apologize for advancing America’s interests.”

Trump has taken aim at Germany, whom he referred to as a “captive of Russia.”

“Germany pays 1% (slowly) of GDP towards NATO, while we pay 4% of a MUCH larger GDP. Does anybody believe that makes sense?” Trump tweeted last June. “We protect Europe (which is good) at great financial loss, and then get unfairly clobbered on Trade. Change is coming!”

Germany, which has Europe’s biggest economy, will increase military spending to 1.36 percent of GDP this year — $54 billion — compared with 1.24 percent in 2018, according to NATO.

Lees verder op UPI.com

Second Swedish Gotland sub launched after mid-life upgrade

19/06/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

HSwMS Uppland, the second of two Royal Swedish Navy Gotland-class submarines, was launched at Saab’s Karlskrona shipyard on June 19.

The relaunch of the second air independent propulsion (AIP) submarine took place almost exactly 12 months after the first unit was relaunched as part of the upgrade.

The mid-life upgrades saw the submarines receive an additional 2 meter hull section to accommodate the third generation of the Stirling air-independent propulsion engine and a diver lock-out chamber in addition to combat management and ship management systems upgrades.

“Few shipyards around the world have the experience of completely modifying a submarine, creating almost a new ship. We are the only one having completed it twice within 12 months, first with HMS Gotland and now HMS Uppland,” said Gunnar Wieslander, Senior Vice President, head of Saab business area Kockums.

The updated version of Uppland and her sister ship Gotland are paving the way for the next generation of Swedish AIP submarines: the Blekinge-class (A26).

More than 20 new systems on-board the new Gotland-class will be implemented in the A26, which contributes to their de-risking for the A26. This also gives great training opportunities for the crew when they in the future deploy onboard the A26.

Lees verder op Defence-point.com

German-Norwegian Type 212 CD submarine contract to be signed early 2020

14/06/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

The Norwegian and German defense procurement agencies have evaluated a thyssenkrupp Marine Systems proposal for the construction of six Type 212 CD (common design) submarines and are now expecting a contract with the shipbuilder to be signed in the first half of 2020.

The governments of Norway and Germany are currently in the phase of contract negotiation with TKMS, who was selected as the preferred bidder in February 2017.

Norway is acquiring four units while Germany, which already operates six Type 212 submarines, will acquire another two.

The two countries expect the deliveries to start in 2026.

In addition to joint procurement of submarines, Germany and Norway have established a navy-to-navy cooperation, research and development cooperation and a missile cooperation.

The new Type 212 CD submarines will share the low signatures of the Type 212 boats in service with the navies of Germany and Italy but will have extended range, speed and endurance to allow worldwide operations, according to TKMS.

Lees verder op Navaltoday.com

Australia to pay multi-million-dollar penalties to French submarine builders if deal collapses

15/05/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

Australia will be forced to make multi-million-dollar compensation payments to France if the future submarine program is terminated, according to leaked figures obtained by the ABC.

Key points:

Australia could pay more than $400 million if it terminates the submarine contract early
Leaked documents show the “break payments” would go to the French submarine builder, Naval Group
The Government has confirmed the break clause payment but refused to discuss the details

The “break payments” are outlined in the confidential Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA) that guides the $50 billion project, which was signed in February by France and Australia’s defence ministers.

In 2016, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced Naval Group (then known as DCNS) had beaten rival bids from Germany and Japan to build 12 new submarines for the Royal Australian Navy over the next three decades.

The ABC has now obtained a section of the confidential SPA document, prepared last year, detailing at which point certain “break payments” will be invoked if Australia decides to walk away from the massive contract.

Defence industry expert Andrew Davies said it was standard practice to include financial penalties if a military project was terminated before completion, as well as clauses for damages in the event of non-performance by a company.

“It cost defence around $20 million to extricate itself from the ill-fated Super Seasprite naval helicopter project,” Dr Davies said.

According to the future submarine SPA, Naval Group would receive a 90 million euro (about $140 million) break payment if the company completed the basic design, but the Defence Department then decided not to proceed further.

Similarly, a break payment of 250 million euros (about $404 million) would apply if the French delivered a detailed submarine design and Australia then chose to go no further.

In the event Australia accepted its first completed submarine but decided to cancel all future orders, the Commonwealth would have to pay the French company 220 million euros (about $355 million).

The break fee decreases according to the number of completed submarines accepted.

The Department of Defence confirmed the SPA included “provisions to manage termination on a fair and equitable basis, depending on the circumstances leading to termination”.

Lees verder op Abc.net.au

Amsterdam should have announced a short-list for several weeks but the choice is debated within the government and the Dutch administration.

05/05/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

In the Netherlands, there is currently a national debate, but rather behind the scenes. A debate raging within the government and the Dutch Defense Materials Organization (DMO) between those who want a choice in favor of the consortium led by the local champion shipyard Damen, associated with the Swedish SAAB for the manufacture of four new submarines and those who advocate a short-list with two manufacturers (Damen / SAAB and Naval Group), or even three (Damen / SAAB, Naval Group and the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems). And then there are those very minority, who do not want a new submarine program to replace the four submarines of the Royal Dutch Navy Walrus type. A “fight” who has already dragged the announcement of a decision from March to June, even July. “A great offer” from Paris.

It is in this context that the Minister of Armies Florence Parly arrives on Monday in the Netherlands, to support among other things the offer of Naval Group, which has since last February joined the Dutch group Royal IHC. “We are convinced that we have a great offer for the Dutch navy , ” says one in Paris. The naval group offers the Netherlands a conventional propulsion version of the Barracuda, which has already seduced Australia. “We have both a very good product and we can develop a real cooperation in the naval as well as in other areas with the Netherlands,” says one in the entourage of the minister. The proposed ocean submarines will be able to meet the specific needs of NATO as well as the United States with which the Netherlands regularly exercises to test US defenses. Paris believes a lot in its chances and gives itself the means to win. Every month, the Ministry of the Armed Forces reviews the situation with Naval Group CEO Hervé Guillou, the French ambassador to the Netherlands and the French parliamentarians associated with this campaign. “We really do the max” to win this competition, says one at La Tribune.

Submarines made in the Netherlands If France considers that it is “very, very well positioned” in this campaign, the game is not played. Far from there. Because Damen, who grows to be the only candidate retained in the famous short-list, is logically supported in the Netherlands. It is indeed difficult in Amsterdam not to keep his local champion in the short-list. But, the partnership between Naval Group and the Dutch group Royal IHC has cut the effects of the campaign led by Damen on the theme, the French will do everything in France. While Naval Group will define the design of the submarines with the Netherlands, Royal IHC will be responsible for the construction and layout of the vessels with the help of the Dutch maritime sector. Hence the debate raging in the Netherlands still in full hesitation. Finally, TKMS, in withdrawal, pushes a postponement of a decision to take the time to convince the Dutch of the merits of their offer, based on trilateral cooperation (Netherlands, Germany, Norway), even quadrilateral (Poland ), provided for TKMS to supply submarines to the Polish Navy. “The ball is in the camp” of the Dutch authorities, says one in Paris.

Dit is een vertaling van het originele artikel van Latribune.fr

Dutch keep Walrus submarine race going for a bit longer

03/05/2019 / marinebouw.nl / Reacties uitgeschakeld

COLOGNE, Germany — The Dutch government has postponed a supplier decision to replace its four Walrus submarines, telling parliament that further study of the issue is needed until the summer.

The development, announced in a letter late last month by State Secretary for Defence Barbara Visser, comes as some expected a decision this spring. Government officials now say they need more time to study the competitors’ latest offers related to domestic industry participation in their proposals.

The companies vying for the multibillion-dollar Walrus contract are Naval Group of France, Navantia of Spain, Saab’s Kockums of Sweden, and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems of Germany.

The additional study follows attempts by competitors to tweak their proposals in light of a new Dutch defense industry strategy released in November. That document prescribes that the production of maritime platforms remain mostly a national affair, with roughly 25 percent of projects sourced from international collaborations.

“The Netherlands has the ambition to design and produce certain military capabilities itself,” reads a summary of the strategy document. “In doing so, we will take into account the industries that are already present in the Netherlands as well as the country’s capacity and possible limitations. What does this mean in concrete terms? We want to preserve and strengthen our naval shipbuilding industry, for example.”

Lees verder bij Defense News

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