Germany's HDW sells six more Type 214 subs to South Korea

BRUSSELS, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Germany sells six more subs to South Korea

Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft announced last week that South Korea had ordered six Type 214 diesel-electric submarines from it.

South Korea bought three Type 214s from HDW nine years ago, of which two have been built and delivered so far. The third sub is currently being assembled in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The new order therefore reflects the satisfaction of the South Korean navy with its first two German-built subs. Germany and France are the two main builders and exporters of diesel/electric-powered submarines in the Western world. U.S. shipyards specialize in building bigger, much more expensive nuclear-powered submarines.

The Type 214s are upgraded designs of the Type 212A used by the German navy.

HDW said it would manufacture the components of the six new Type 214s in conjunction with MarineForce International and those components would then be assembled by Korean companies. Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering already has been contracted to assemble the first ship, while a tender for the second is outstanding and expected to be awarded by the summer.

The Type 214 has an air-independent propulsion system. The value of the deal is unknown.

EADS lands French navy communications deal

France has signed an $822 million deal with the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. to modernize and integrate the communications of the French navy over the next five years.

The Delegation Generale pour l'Armement, the procurement office of the French government, has chosen EADS Defense and Security to provide the equipment, installation and service in implementing the ambitious program, the company said in a statement last week.

The program's goal is to integrate the communications of the French navy's ships and submarines linked up to its patrol aircraft, jets and helicopters through an intranet system. The five-year program is the second stage of France's RIFAN project to integrate the communications of all the navy's equipment. Phase 1 integrated the communications of the French surface and submarine fleets. When completed, RIFAN will allow oversight of the entire French navy and air force from a centralized command.

The Stage 2 program deal has been reported as being worth $328 million, and it also includes five years of maintenance. Supply of the radio equipment has been subcontracted to Germany's Rohde & Schwarz, while French shipbuilder DCNS will deliver implementation and installation of the equipment.

The Delegation Generale pour l'Armement also has signed a contract for 22 additional NH90 utility helicopters that also will be integrated into the RIFAN network.

The NH90 is built by the NH consortium, consisting of Eurocopter, AgustaWestland and Stork Fokker. France already has 39 of them in operation, including 27 adapted for specialized naval operations, Defense News reported last week.

However, delays on the completion and delivery of the new helicopters are anticipated. The NH consortium has been reported as struggling to meet its deadlines on building 23 variations of its product. France may be lucky to receive the helicopters by 2011.

In all, 529 NH90s have been sold around the world, but only 25 of them have been delivered thus far.

Kongsberg sells ground-launched Naval Strike Missile to Poland

Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, a Norwegian firm, has signed a deal to sell its ground-launched Naval Strike Missile to Poland for $115 million, Defense News reported last week.

It will be the first export sale of the NSM for Kongsberg. A command center and weapon control system will be included in the deal.

The system is scheduled to be delivered starting in 2011, with completion by the end of 2012. Poland will deploy the missile to defend its Baltic Sea coastline. Kongsberg said the contract includes options for further sales.

The Naval Strike Missile is a direct competitor to the U.S. Raytheon Co.'s AIM-120 AMRAAM missile that is widely used around the world. If the NSM is delivered within budget and on time and performs well for Poland, that could boost its sales prospects against the Raytheon AMRAAM, especially in European markets.

Kongsberg will subcontract the supply and installation of the radar system, communications and transportation equipment to local Polish companies. Kongsberg hopes to sell future NSM systems with Polish-built Przemyslowy Instytut Telekomunikacji radars.

The Norwegian navy already has bought $388 million worth of NSM systems.