China, warship exporter.

[xinhui]

After scoring four sword class FFG to the Pakistan navy, China recently is making waves in the international naval arms market, here are examples of current sales.

Nigeria approves procurement of two new offshore patrol vessels

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Written by defenceWeb Monday, 02 April 2012 15:13
altNigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the purchase of two new 1 800 ton Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Nigerian Navy as the service modernises and expands.

Nigeria’s 2012 Defence Budget Proposal allocates N6.78 billion/US$42 million for the two offshore patrol vessels. The first will be built in China while about 50% of the second ship will be constructed in Nigeria in an effort to enhance local shipbuilding capability and provide technology transfer.

The OPVs will be 95 metres long, with a draft of 3.5 metres. They will be powered by two MTU 20V 4000M diesel engines, giving a speed of 21 knots, and will be armed with one 76 mm and two 30 mm guns. Crew complement will be 70 sailors and endurance 20 days. They will be able to carry and support a helicopter off a rear deck.

The Nigerian Navy (NN) announced that the vessels would mainly to be used for maritime surveillance, patrol and response tasks. Other roles of the vessels would be protection of offshore assets, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol and surveillance, search and rescue and oil spill control.

“This acquisition is expected to bolster NN presence at sea to meet the current and emerging threats,” the Navy said.

Nigeria’s Navy will be receiving nearly two dozen new acquisitions under the 2012 defence budget. The 2012 Defence Budget Proposal also makes provision for three Shaldag Mk III fast patrol craft, three 24 metre coastal patrol craft and six 17 metre Manta Mk II ASD littoral interceptors (total cost N2.2 billion/US$13.7 million). In addition, the purchase of helicopter and ship spares will amount to N1.04 billion (US$6.5 billion), according to Budget Office documents.

The FY2011 defence budget approved the acquisition of two offshore patrol vessels, the refurbishment of six coastal patrol craft by TP Marine of Holland and the delivery of nine Manta Mk II ASD craft.

French shipbuilder OCEA is building the three 24 metre coastal patrol craft and commenced sea trials of the first vessel on March 13.

The Suncraft Group is expected to construct the six Manta Mk II ASD vessels, bringing the total ordered over the last several years to 21. The Manta Mk II first entered service with the Nigerian Navy in 2008.

In strengthening its military capabilities, Nigeria has paid particular attention to improving security in the Niger Delta and off its 780 kilometre long coast, where it has numerous oil installations. In March 2007 it signed a US$73 million contract for two ATR 42MP maritime patrol aircraft to join its Dornier 128s. The first ATR was delivered in December 2009 and the second in March 2010.

Late last year the Nigerian Navy received the former US Coast Guard Cutter Chase (WHEC-718), which was given to the Nigerian Navy as an excess defence article under the US Foreign Assistance Act, and renamed NNS Thunder.

Captain Mohammed Nagemu, the Commanding Officer of NNS Thunder, said that the ship, which commenced active operations on January 23, had been involved in several naval exercises, while making several arrests.

“NNS Thunder, which has sailed 14 665 nautical miles, has so far arrested two vessels, accosted 108 vessels and carried out ‘Exercise Obangame [Express]’, along with helicopter operations,” he said. However, Nagemu pointed out several challenges facing the vessel, including a scarcity of spare parts, insufficient tools and inadequate personnel training.

Nigeria’s Navy is seeking government approval to acquire up to 49 ships and 42 helicopters over the next ten years to police the nation’s territorial waterways and Gulf of Guinea, according to Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ishaya Ibrahim.

The Nigerian Navy has received 10 donated vessels to enhance operations in the Niger Delta. The navy has also established new base in Lokoja known as NNS Lugard and another in Ikot Abasi known as NNS Jubilee.

The Nigerian Navy has been allocated N69 billion (US$433 million) under this year’s budget while the Army has been allocated N122 billion (US$766 million), and the Air Force N64 billion (US$402 million), reports the Nigerian Budget Office. The navy has about 7 000 personnel.

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allghananews.com - President Mills commissions four fast patrol ships for the Ghana Navy

President Mills commissions four fast patrol ships for the Ghana Navy

Category: Government Created on Monday, 20 February 2012 21:46 Published Date Written by GNA Hits: 74

Sekondi, Feb. 20, GNA – President John Evans Atta Mills has commissioned four fast patrol ships ordered from China by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) at the Western Naval Command at Sekondi.
The ships are GNS Blika, GNS Garinga, GNS Chemle and GNS Enwor.
President Mills said the Ministry of Transport, the Ghana Maritime Authority and the Ministry of Defence are establishing a Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System (VTMIS) along the entire coast of the country.
He said the system would include coastal radar stations with command and control centers that would enhance the ability to maintain effective surveillance over the waters.
“When this is fully established and the system is complemented with naval ships and maritime patrol aircraft, we should be able to improve the operational control of our maritime domain adding that the country would soon take delivery of two newly refurbished Ex-German Navy Fast Aircraft currently undergoing refitting in Germany ”, he said.
President Mills said the Slipway Rehabilitation Project carried out by Messrs Damen of Netherlands and the MTU Test Bench Project by MTU of German would be completed and commissioned.
He said these projects would enable the Navy carry out routine docking and periodic refitting locally to save the millions of foreign exchange that would be spent when such works are done abroad.
President Mills said the same facilities would be used to support local fishing vessels and other vessels engaged in the oil and gas industry.
He said, “The investment in re-equipping the Navy and other security agencies should be viewed as a means of sustaining the atmosphere of peace and security needed for the development of other sectors”.
Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith (rtd), Minister of Defence, said two of the ships were acquired by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for the exclusive use in enforcing the fisheries regulations and laws at sea.
He commended the MOFA for the extensive collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Defence to ensure law and order at sea.
Rear Admiral Matthew Quashie, Chief of Naval Staff, said the Ghana Navy has not commissioned new ships for the past 32 years.
He said the ships have been named after venomous snakes in the Ga-Adangbe, Dagbon, Ahanta and Ewe dialects and that the navy is now in a more better position to protect marine resources including oil and gas facilities.
Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said the construction of 14 landing beaches in various parts of the country with the Chinese loan would begin this year.
Mr Zhao Zhengao, President of China Poly Group, said he was hopeful that the boats would greatly improve the maritime patrol capabilities of the Ghana Navy and contribute to safeguarding the country’s territorial waters.

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Two Jianghu class FFG to the Burmese navy

Maritime Propulsion | Two Chinese Frigates for Myanmar
Burmese Navy in Historic Visit to Vietnam

The Burmese navy ended its first ever port call to Vietnam on Tuesday after the three-day visit of two destroyers.

The UMS Mahar Bandoola and UMS Mahar Thiha Thura, each with 11 officers and 112 crew members, docked at Tien Sa Port in Da Nang on Sunday, according to Vietnamese state news agency VNA.

Burmese naval officers reportedly visited the High Command of Navy Region 3 and the Da Nang Municipal People's Committee.

The two ships arrived the same day as Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with his Burmese counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin and was received by President Thein Sein and several other key figures in Naypyidaw.

The foreign ministers discussed defense and security cooperation, according to a statement by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry. “The two sides shared the importance of securing peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the statement said.

China, whose territorial claims in the South China Sea clash with Vietnam, has so far been arguing for third-party nations not to get involved in the dispute.

“Outside forces should not get involved under any excuse,” Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was quoted by news agency Xinhua as telling the last Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in November.

Pham Binh Minh's talks in Naypyidaw—involving the president, foreign minister, Minister for Industry Soe Thein, Minister at the President's Office Soe Maung, Minister of Finance and Revenue Hla Tun and Minister of Commerce Win Myint—focused on trade relations, according to the Vietnamese report.

They discussed Vietnamese investments in Burma, “including specific projects in agriculture, fisheries, hotel-building, cooperation in banking, telecommunications, food processing and garments.”

On Tuesday, another Vietnamese delegation from the municipal government of Ho Chi Minh City, led by Communist Party Secretary Le Thanh Hai, visited Rangoon and held talks on investments with Rangoon Division Chief Minister Myint Swe.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngyuen Tan Dung visited Burma in December when he attended the Greater Mekong Sub-Region Summit in Naypyidaw.

President Thein Sein then referred to Vietnam as “a good model” for Burma's development, according to a press release by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vietnam has seen a series of military diplomatic events in the recent days. Before his departure for Naypyidaw, Pham Binh Minh discussed border security and trade with visiting Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng in Ho Chi Minh City on March 8 and 9.

Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen Phung Quang Thanh discussed training cooperation with his Laos counterpart Sen-Lt-Gen Douangchay Phichit in Da Nang on Monday.

On Tuesday, three Japanese destroyers, the JS Hamagiri, JS Sawayuki and JS Asayuki, concluded a five-day port call in the northern Vietnamese city of Hai Phong.

[xinhui]

artist impression of the Jiangwei II class to Bangladesh Navy

Bangladesh is buying two-ChineseF-22B : "Jiang Wei II" (053H3) class frigates
The news is that the Bangladesh Navy has ordered two F-22 frigates to be built in China in addition to a third second hand Jianghu class frigate to be purchased directly. Three Z-9EC ASW will also be delivered to prop up the newly formed Naval Aviation wing of the Bangladesh Navy.
Besides procurement of new fast attack craft, missile armed 600 ton large patrol vessel and, upgradation of existing fast attack craft with C802A anti-ship missiles are being done.
Furthermore, hundreds of C-802A/C-803 anti-ship missiles and FM-90N SAM are being delivered.
In recent times the Bangladesh Navy purchased three sophisticated ex Royal Navy warships, new fleet oil tanker, AgustaWestland A109 naval helicopters, maritime patrol aircraft, locally made and American made patrol vessels. They hope to initiate submarines in to the fleet by 2019 with some four submarines from South Korea or Turkey. The first batch of submariners returned from Turkey after successfully completing their course.
A Naval special forces unit of about a brigade strength has been raised. They are equipped with American and South Korean high-tech equipment. Recently the US provided 21 Defender class vessels to help their development. The training and tactics of this unit is same as RoK Navy SEAL, which is the toughest naval commando unit in Asia.

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Algeria's OPV U/C in wuhan

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Algeria's latest training ship

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On Tuesday, March 1, 2011 China formally started the manufacturing of two state-of-the-art fast attack missile crafts for the Pakistan Navy. These crafts are an addition to a couple of naval frigates which are being built for the strategic partner.
The ceremony of the Fast Attack Craft FAC(M) of Pakistan Navy was held at Xinggang Shipyard at Tianjin. The Pakistan navy has signed a contract with Offshore International Company Limited (CSOC) & China Shipbuilding for the construction of the two modern missile crafts which will be fitted with the latest sensors and weapons.

Vice Admiral Tanveer Faiz Ahmed of the Pakistan Navy attended the ceremony. The arrangement states that one of the crafts will be built in Tianjin while the other one will be manufactured in Pakistan’s Karachi docks. The first craft was expected to be inducted in the force in October. At the moment there is no information about the financial agreements on this deal.

[xinhui]

looks like they just landed a two-corvette deal

Algeria orders Chinese corvettes and German frigates
The Algerian Ministry of Defence has ordered three large corvettes from China and two MEKO A-200 frigates - with an option for two more ...
04-May-2012

Janes