Bekijk volle/desktop versie : Marokkaanse Defensie Sterker dan ooit!



10-06-2012, 21:50

Citaat:
Successful sea acceptance trials of the third Multi Mission Frigate for the Royal Moroccan Navy

The 98 meters long SIGMA class frigate, the third frigate built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding for the Royal Moroccan Navy, left Vlissingen on the 22nd of May for her sea acceptance trials (SAT) in the North Sea, right on schedule as agreed in the contract.

During the SAT, an intensive program was carried out in which the platform as well as the sensor weapons and communications suite were extensively tested, to the full satisfaction of the Royal Moroccan Navy.

The tests were performed by representatives of the yard in close cooperation with representatives of the subcontractors, the Royal Moroccan Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy.

The first SIGMA frigate was transferred to the Royal Moroccan Navy on 10 September 2011, the second on 10 March 2012. The third frigate is scheduled to be transferred in September 2012.

DSNS
http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/sigma-class-frigates-morocco/

2008

12-06-2012, 22:08


Moroccan MF-2000′s upgrade specifications



- Thales Multimode Radar RDY-3
- Two Dynamic task computer-integrated with a 1553 bus
- Inertial-aided GPS Navigator Sagem Sigma 95
- Two LCD multifunction
- Two mini-LCD (to RWR and artificial horizon)
- Head-Up Display with UFCP (Up Front Control Panel)
- Improved communications-system
- New weapons management system
- New Radar-warning system
- Laser designation Pod Damocles
- ASTAC ELINT Pod
- Electronic protection-Pod PAJ FA
- Corail jammer-Pod (IR)
- Phimat jammer-Pod (chaff)
- Data Link

weapons:

- Matra Magic II missiles
- MICA EM and IR missiles
- AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles
- AASM Bombs
- Paveway laser-guided Bombs






Voorbeeld:

[video=youtube_share;ePJLJgSbing]http://youtu.be/ePJLJgSbing[/video]

14-06-2012, 22:24
Marrakech Air Show 2012










14-06-2012, 22:24
Marrakech Air Show 2012


14-06-2012, 22:33


MOROCCO SEEKS GREATER ROLE IN STRAIT SECURITY

Morocco is close to completing a new naval base on the Strait of Gibraltar.

The base has been under construction for some years and is situated close to Ksar Sghir, at a midway point in the Strait of Gibraltar.

The base will strengthen Morocco’s naval presence in the strategic Strait, which is a chokepoint for shipping and a growing centre of maritime trade.


The Royal Moroccan Navy is in the process of acquiring new ships in a move that will more than double the number of frigates it operates by 2013.

Last week took delivery of the second of three Sigma class frigates from a Dutch shipyard, the Sultan Moulay Ismail.

The ship is still on sea trials and is due to undergo her maiden voyage to Morocco in April.

The third vessel in the series will be delivered in May, while the first ship – Tarek ben Zayid – is already operational.

The ships are equipped with a combat system designed for antisubmarine operations, surface warfare, air defence and electronic warfare.

Morocco also has on order a French-built multipurpose frigate and four patrol boats.

http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=24400

en

http://www.elconfidencialdigital.com/defensa/075463/la-base-naval-de-marruecos-en-el-estrecho-es-ya-operativa-sera-inaugurada-por-mohamed-vi-este-verano

14-06-2012, 22:40

17-06-2012, 22:57
EXERCICE ATLAS 2012












18-06-2012, 21:45
Abrams M1A1 for Morocco



Published: 6/17/2012
Lima tank plant faces risk of 3-year production hiatus
BY TYREL LINKHORN
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

LIMA, Ohio -- Tipping the scales at nearly 70 tons and sporting a sinister 120mm cannon, the M1 Abrams tank is a core weapon in the U.S. military's formidable ground force.

The battle tank is also the foundation for hundreds of jobs in Lima at General Dynamics Corp. Land Systems' Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, the only place on Earth where workers build and refurbish the Abrams. But the program and the jobs it supports are again at risk, sparking a fight that has aligned Congress, General Dynamics, and Lima-area officials against the White House, the Army brass, and the Pentagon's bean counters.

For the second year in a row, the Army's budget request has included nothing for building new or upgrading existing Abrams tanks. And for the second year in a row, Congress is trying to give the program millions of dollars anyway.

It's not that the Abrams, which entered service in 1980, is obsolete. Far from it, in fact. Defense experts still consider it among the top tier -- if not the best -- of battle tanks in the world. It's so good that the Army intends to use upgraded variants of the tank until at least 2050. But for now, the Army says its orders have been filled and the current tank fleet is up to date to current specifications.

The Army originally wanted to idle its Abrams orders from 2013 until 2017, when it plans to unveil its next-generation Abrams tank. However, Congress approved $255 million last year that gave General Dynamics work to upgrade 46 tanks. The Pentagon has again this year requested no additional funding for the Abrams until 2017, meaning U.S. orders would dry up in June, 2014.

Plant supporters say that plan softens national defense, costs the Army more money than it saves, and harms the industrial base and supply chain.

"It makes no sense to stop a program for four years and start it up in 2017," Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) said. "That is a draconian cut, and it essentially kills all the suppliers that create the supply chain in tank production. The accountants don't really care about that, so Congress has to look at the impact on the over-ground system and try to make other changes in the budget that yield the same result but without killing one of the Army's key programs."

Miss Kaptur's 9th District doesn't include the tank plant, but she is a member of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee and has lent heavy support to the facility.

Specialized workers

As recently as three years ago, the plant, which also builds Stryker armored vehicles, employed about 1,250 people.

After 200 layoffs this year, that number is down to about 840. It's expected to shrink more this year as work slows.

"These are very good-paying, highly skilled jobs," Lima Mayor David Berger said. "It's a significant employer with a demand for skill sets that would not be in demand at other locations because of the uniqueness of their product. You don't go to school and get a degree in building Abrams tanks. You get your experience, your expertise, in actually building them."

Mr. Berger and others worry that laid-off workers, unable to find work that suits their skills in Lima, 75 miles south of Toledo, would leave town. They argue retraining workers after a three-year lull would be costly in time and money.

A pause in production would hurt the Abrams' roughly 880 suppliers, many of which General Dynamics says are small companies.

Bob Block, the owner of Block Industrial Service Inc. in the Toledo suburb of Northwood, supplies tooling to the Lima plant.

"I would classify them as a very good customer," he said. "They would be an 'A' category customer. If something would happen that they would close the plant, it wouldn't be a catastrophe, but we see them as a very good customer. They buy regularly, two or three times a week, and they pay well."

Mr. Block's firm supplies tooling to several machine shops in the region that make parts for the plant. Many of those shops, he said, would be endangered by an Abrams shutdown.

"Those machine shops, that's another story. They have skilled people, tool-and-die makers and programmers for CNC machines, and it's hard to find those people. That would be a problem for the machine shops in the area."

General Dynamics and the military estimate shutting down the plant would cost between $600 million and $800 million. But while the Army projects reopening the plant would cost about $400 million, General Dynamics estimates the cost would be nearly $1 billion.

That's a bill Mr. Berger thinks the Pentagon would be unwilling to pay.

"We believe it will become so expensive to restart, it won't be restarted, and instead those capabilities will be re-established somewhere else," he said.

Foreign customers

Ashley Givens, a spokesman for the U.S. Army, said the army isn't "shutting down" the Lima plant. Rather, the Army is focusing on tank modernization and foreign military sales.

"This production 'pause' of U.S. tanks will allow the Army to focus its limited resources on the development of the next generation Abrams tank instead of building more of the same M1A2 SEPv2 tanks that have exceeded their space, weight, and power limits," Ms. Givens said in a statement to The Blade.

The Army says military sales to countries such as to Saudi Arabia and Egypt should provide enough orders to keep the line running. No one is arguing against those foreign military sales, but lawmakers and others caution against relying on them.

"We're fine with the sales. We just want to make sure the Army doesn't rely on them to keep production going because of the potential interruption," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio). "The volatility of it can go up and can go down, and we need to have something more reliable than that."

Donald Kotchman, vice president of the heavy brigade combat team at General Dynamics Land Systems, said the company has a contract with Saudi Arabia that would ensure work through early 2014. Negotiations for more orders with Saudi Arabia and other countries are ongoing.

"I don't want to overplay or underplay the situation," Mr. Kotchman said. "There is [an] order for Morocco that we have reason to believe will occur; we just don't know when the timing of that will be. What we're trying to do is balance the minimum sustainment rate with enough domestic work to sustain capability across the industrial base -- Lima and the suppliers -- to bridge the gap until the modernization program ... occurs in 2017."

Bipartisan support

Though the Abrams program isn't a current Pentagon priority, it has found significant bipartisan support from Congress. The House version of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act included $181 million for the Abrams program -- enough to build about 30 tanks. The Senate version included $91 million for the Abrams.

Aside from Mr. Brown, the plant may have no greater champion than Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, whose 4th District includes Lima.

"Things look much more positive now than they did a few months ago," Mr. Jordan said. "But to be realistic, the process is not over, and in this business you never know how it's going to shake out until its done, the bill has been passed through both houses, and the President has his signature on it."

That signature might prove difficult to obtain.

The House approved $643 billion for defense, an amount the White House's Office of Management and Budget says would violate the Budget Control Act of 2011. That could lead to the President vetoing the bill, officials say.

Though Mr. Jordan emphasizes that he cares about jobs in his district, he has built a reputation as a budget hawk and a big supporter of national defense.

Asked about the impact to Lima's economy, he gives a quick response about the importance of jobs before doubling down on the defense angle.

"First and foremost, the one thing that Congress is supposed to spend taxpayer money on ... is defense of the country. Part of national defense is tanks. While there's jobs and all that is important -- I understand that -- we should make decisions based on the best interest of the nation, not [congressional] districts, and in the best interest is a strong national defense. Included in that is tanks."

Lima mainstay

Tanks have been part of Lima's rich industrial history since World War II, when the Army established a depot about three miles south of the city's downtown square. At its war-time peak, the plant employed more than 5,000 people.

The site remains U.S. government property, with defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. the current operator.

If Lima loses the Abrams, it is unclear what the future would be for the plant.

As long as General Dynamics had enough work through its other programs and foreign sales, work would go on.

Asked about the future of the plant, Mr. Kotchman said: "We will continue to work on efficiencies within the facility to try to position ourselves as best we can for the business we know we have, and then beyond that it's unpredictable. If the plans come in as projected, then there's still a future for Lima."

Meer info, onderstaande link:
http://www.toledoblade.com/business/2012/06/17/Lima-tank-plant-faces-risk-of-3-year-production-hiatus.html

18-06-2012, 22:14
Partnerschap Marokko-Utah ANG


Citaat:
U.S. Army Major General Brian Tarbet, The Adjutant General for the Utah National Guard, meets with La Medicin General de Brigade Mohammed Brouk, the chief of medical services for the Morocco military, in Rabat, Morocco to discuss Task Force African Lion, on April 11, 2012.

19-06-2012, 21:28



19-06-2012, 21:33

Citaat:
Morocco requests US for upgrade of M1A1 Abrams tanks
19 June 2012

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a potential foreign military sale (FMS) for the upgrade and refurbishment of 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks for the Moroccan Government.

Under the estimated $1.01bn FMS programme, Morocco has also requested the supply of 150 AN/VRC-87E and 50 AN/VRC-89E exportable single channel ground and airborne radio systems (SINCGARS), 200 M2 Chrysler mount-machine guns and 400 7.62mm M240 machine guns.

The potential sale also includes more than 12 million ammunition rounds, including 1400 C785 SABOT, 1800 CA31 HEAT, 5400 AA38 SLAP-T and 200 M250 smoke grenade launchers, support equipment, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment; in addition to publications and technical data, communication support, as well as logistical support services.

As part of the proposed package, the upgrades will be performed under a grant excess defence article (EDA) transfer to help support the modernisation of the Royal Moroccan Army's Abrams tank fleet, aimed at enhancing its ability to meet current and future threats.

As well as upgrading the nation's military capability, the newly configured tanks are also expected to further improve its interoperability with the US and other allies.

General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) will be the prime contractor for the programme, while refurbishment work will be carried out at the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama and the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Ohio, US.

An upgraded variant of the US Army and Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams main battle tank (MBT), the M1A1 SA features gunners primary sight (GPS), new Block I 2nd generation forward looking infrared (FLIR) technology and a blue force tracking (BFT) system for enhanced effectiveness in the battlefield.
http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsmorocco-requests-us-upgrade-m1a1-abrams-tanks

19-06-2012, 21:37
[video=youtube_share;c33Qv2V5hF8]http://youtu.be/c33Qv2V5hF8[/video]


19-06-2012, 22:03


200 Abrams M1A1 SA for Royal Moroccan Army

Kingdom of Morocco – M1A1 SA Abrams Tank Enhancement, Support and Equipmen

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2012 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco for enhancement and refurbishment of 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks and associated parts, equipment, logistical support and training for an estimated cost of $1.015 billion.


The Government of the Kingdom of Morocco has requested a possible enhancement and refurbishment of 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks, provided as part of a grant Excess Defense Article (EDA) transfer notified to Congress on 27 April 2011, to the M1A1 Special Armor (SA) configuration. The possible sale will also provide 150 AN/VRC-87E and 50 AN/VRC-89E Exportable Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS), 200 M2 Chrysler Mount Machine Guns, and 400 7.62MM M240 Machine Guns. The possible sale also includes 12,049,842 Ammunition Rounds (including 1400 C785 SABOT, 1800 CA31 HEAT, and 5400 AA38 SLAP-T), 200 M250 Smoke Grenade Launchers, support equipment, spare and repair parts,personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, communication support, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related logistics support. The estimated cost is $1.015 billion


This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to
improve the security of a major Non-NATO ally that continues to be an important force for political stability
and economic progress in Africa.


This package of M1A1 tank enhancements will contribute to the modernization of Morocco’s tank fleet,
enhancing its ability to meet current and future threats. These tanks will contribute to Morocco’s goal of
updating its military capability while further enhancing interoperability with the U.S. and other allies. The
proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.


The prime contractor will be General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Refurbishment
work will be performed at Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Alabama and the Joint Systems Manufacturing
Center in Lima, Ohio. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.


Implementation of this proposed sale will require annual trips to Morocco involving up to 64 U.S. Government
and 13 contractor representatives for a period of up to five years to manage the fielding and training for the
program.


There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a
potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2012/Morocco_12-28.pdf

20-06-2012, 21:14
Uncle Sam’s Sale: M1 Tanks for Morocco
Jun 19, 2012 18:41 EDT

In June 2012, the US DSCA announced Morocco’s formal request for upgrades and refurbishment of 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks, which are being provided as Excess Defense Articles from US stocks. Used tanks have become very popular around the world, and Germany’s Leopard 2 has become ubiquitous as a direct result of sell-offs by Germany and the Netherlands. American M1s haven’t been part of that dynamic so far, but the US Army does have a significant backlog of armored vehicles needing reset and repairs after hard use in theater.

Having allies pay for that work, in exchange for the tanks, does 3 important things. It removes some of that maintenance overhang from American budgets. Second, it helps keep the Lima, OH busy until American M1 modernization work is set to begin in 2017. Finally, it keeps the tanks “useful” to the USA in a geo-strategic sense. This proposed sale is a classic example.

Benefits All Around

If a contract is signed with Morocco, 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks would be refurbished and upgraded to M1A1-SA status, matching Iraq’s new tanks. They would immediately become the most advanced tanks in Morocco’s arsenal, alongside 200 upgraded Russian T-72s, 300 American M60s (150 upgraded with fully modern thermal sights), and 105 old Austrian SK-105 light tanks. There have also been unconfirmed reports of a Moroccan purchase of 150 “Al-Khalid”/ VT1A tanks from Pakistan and/or China in 2010; if true, they would slot above the upgraded T-72s, as T-80/T-90 counterparts.

The M1s provide an important addition to counter neighboring Algeria, which has long had uneasy relations with Morocco. Algeria recently ordered over 300 T-90 tanks from Russia, alongside its 325 existing T-72s, 150 old T-62s, and 270 ancient T-54/55 tanks. The M1’s protection, gun, and advanced fire-on-the move electronics place it a full tier beyond any current Russian designs, and it has been able to dominate opposing T-72 tanks in combat. If Morocco can maintain even contested control of the air, the M1s will create a potent deterrent against outside attack.

That explains the tanks’ geo-strategic usefulness, as the USA seeks to keep the peace in northern Africa, and shore up a moderate Muslim dynasty that traces its royal lineage back to Mohammed.

The Moroccan order will be equally useful on the industrial front. US Army spokesman Ashley Givens says that the US Army isn’t shutting down the Lima plant by stopping modernization and new-build orders, but it’s clear that the plant will need to rely on foreign military sale orders from countries like Egypt (M1A1 new), Iraq (M1A1-SA new), Saudi Arabia (M1A2S upgrades), and now Morocco (M1A1-SA rebuilt) until 2017. in a statement to The Toledo Blade, Ms. Givens said:

“This production ‘pause’ of U.S. tanks will allow the Army to focus its limited resources on the development of the next generation Abrams tank instead of building more of the same M1A2 SEPv2 tanks [link added] that have exceeded their space, weight, and power limits.”

So far, Congress hasn’t agreed, funding additional M1 modernization work in order to keep the plant busy. As America’s fiscal situation bites harder, a sizeable book of foreign orders could cause them to change that calculus.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Uncle-Sams-Sale-M1-Tanks-for-Morocco-07435/

--------------------

Interesante info:
http://www.fprado.com/armorsite/abrams.htm

20-06-2012, 21:20
Morocco requests US for upgrade of M1A1 Abrams tanks

http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsmorocco-requests-us-upgrade-m1a1-abrams-tanks


New Block I 2nd Gen Flir:

Een ontworpen voor de M1A2 in 2003:





De nieuwe zijn nog veel beter nu....


Gunner's Primary Sight (GPS):





Blue Force tracking (BFT):



Als IFF op Google Maps



SICGARS:




M240 and M2 has left right and center the 120mm:



http://stardefense.blogspot.nl/2012/06/morocco-requests-us-for-upgrade-of-m1a1.html

Pagina's : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 [30] 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61