VARD and Fincantieri launch Resilience ship family to fill target Norway’s standardised vessel needs
VARD and Fincantieri’s announcement to launch the VARD Resilience series came only weeks after Norway’s new long-term 2025–36 defence plan.
Navigation solutions provider Sperry Marine has debuted Additional Military Layers (AMLs) for its VisionMaster radar and Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).
The AMLs allow defence users to utilise Sperry’s commercial radars on small and large vessels.
Sperry Marine Radar and Chart Displays global line manager Christophe Rios said: ‘In recent years, navies have had to balance performance requirements against tight budgetary control at a time when the scope and number of missions has increased.’
Sperry said combining the navigation functions from VisionMaster with ‘enhanced features’ offering military functionality at a lower total cost than existing naval systems.
Enhancements designed for naval operations include a ‘Red First Strike’ functionality that immediately indicates fast-moving targets such as aircraft and fast attack craft. A ‘Target Intercept’ feature allows operators to plan and execute intercept manoeuvres.
A ‘Freeze Frame’ function lets an operator display a frozen picture of a radar situation taken before implementing radar silence.
VARD and Fincantieri’s announcement to launch the VARD Resilience series came only weeks after Norway’s new long-term 2025–36 defence plan.
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.
On 24 March 2022, Greece and Naval Group have signed a contract for three defence and intervention (FDI) frigates. Two warships will be due for delivery in 2025 and the third expected the following year, with the deal including an option to add a fourth frigate to be ready in 2027.