OPV Replacement

[yooklid]

So are we seeing a turn around?

[Goldie fish]

So are we seeing a turn around?

Are you suggesting FF would pull a U turn?

I am hoping that its merely inaccurate reporting from Ms Siggins(who is usually spot on). Or a minister making an ill informed statement. The Requirements mentioned seem the same, Have ships suddenly got cheaper?

[mutter nutter]

I just posted this on the news section, but it seems to suit here too

Navy will get power to chase drug ships in Euro proposal


By Tom Brady
Saturday July 14 2007

THE Naval Service is to be given powers to chase drug traffickers on the high seas as part of a European crackdown on international criminals.

The move is now being finalised in the wake of last week's massive €107m cocaine haul, off the west Cork coastline.

Ireland is joining six other nations - the UK, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Portugal - in the initiative.

The countries are to establish a joint headquarters, called MAOC-N (maritime analysis operational centre - narcotics), and it will be based in Lisbon in Portugal.

The Irish contribution to the initiative is being compiled by a joint taskforce, which comprises the gardai, customs and the Naval Service and has been operating against drug traffickers for the past 10 years.

It is expected the gardai and customs will base full-time representatives at the centre, which will co-ordinate the exchange of intelligence between the seven countries.

The Naval Service is likely to provide representatives to Lisbon for specific operations.

Arrest

At the moment, the Naval Service has the legal go-ahead to directly arrest vessels suspected of being involved in the illegal importation of drugs if the ships are found inside Ireland's 12-mile territorial waters.

But where the suspect vessels are non-Irish and are spotted outside the 12-mile limit, the Department of Foreign Affairs must seek authorisation from the parent state of the ships before they can be detained.

Now proposals have been drafted which would allow combined operations between the member countries to board suspect vessels outside the territorial waters.

The proposals are being forwarded to Attorney General Paul Gallagher for advice on the legal implications before being placed before the Cabinet by Defence Minister Willie O'Dea for a decision.

Funding

A study is also being carried out on the funding of the Lisbon centre.

Also under consideration are plans to boost an inter-agency approach to compiling a more complete picture of maritime movement off the Irish coast.

The Naval Service does not operate independently of the gardai or customs and works within the joint taskforce, based mainly on intelligence provided by either of the other two agencies.

Surveillance data compiled on suspicious vessel movements is passed on by the Naval Service to the others. A minimum of three patrol vessels are deployed around the coast on surveillance operations throughout the year. This is seen as the first line of defence in deterring illegal activity.

The week, before the west Cork cocaine seizure, the Naval Service had carried out a five-day exercise off the South coast, located particularly around the Bantry Bay and Fastnet areas.

Mr O'Dea is to bring plans to buy three new naval vessels before the Cabinet for approval before the summer break.

The estimated cost of the purchases is around €180m and tenders for the new ships will be sought shortly after the Government has sanctioned the proposals.

One of the three vessels will have enhanced capacity to carry equipment, including 15 to 20 armoured personnel carriers as part of supplies for Irish troops operating overseas on peace missions.

- Tom Brady

[Goldie fish]

Thats more like it.

[mutter nutter]

Looks like the MAKO 200 MRV is almost tailor made for it.

[criodan]

bloody typos....

[ias]

Does anyone know where the figure of 2,000 tonnes for the "smaller" vessel comes from?

IAS

[yooklid]

Does anyone know where the figure of 2,000 tonnes for the "smaller" vessel comes from?

IAS

It comes from the complete inability of the journo to do even basic research.

[DeV]

Does anyone know where the figure of 2,000 tonnes for the "smaller" vessel comes from?

IAS

Roisin & Niamh are 1,500 tonnes so it could be a misquote again.

[Goldie fish]

Does anyone know where the figure of 2,000 tonnes for the "smaller" vessel comes from?

IAS

I don't see what the issue is. It is expected that the non MRV ships will be a larger version of the P50 class. 2000 tonnes is a decent size, although it would be as large as Eithne, which is unlikely.
The Kiwi OPV is 1600 tonnes. However there are elements of their design that would require serious modifications before they could operate for our Naval service. The Kiwis are willing to cut corners in places the Irish have learnt not to(learnt the hard way, in some cases).

If the MRV is expected to be around 4000 tonnes(such as the Meko design) then a journalist could assume that a vessel that costs half as much would also weigh half as much.
However considering the ships are expected to be in operation for at least 30 years, and we are increasing the size of the ships to allow for the worsening atlantic conditions, the bigger the better.

[mutter nutter]

Three new ships will replace Aoife, Emer and Aisling
Tools


By Tom Brady,
Thursday July 26 2007

THE Government has agreed to provide special funds to purchase three new ships for the NavalServices.

The Cabinet yesterday agreed a special cash allocation after Defence Minister Willie O'Dea argued that the existing budget for his Department could not meet the costs.

The estimated purchase price of the new vessels is in the region of €160m to €190m and they will replace ships due to be taken out of service within the next three to five years.

The purchase will ensure that the Naval flotilla remains at eight ships, which was set out in the Government's white paper on defence in 2000.

Naval vessels are usually replaced after 30 years and the three on the way out are the LE Emer, commissioned in 1978, the LE Aoife, 1979, and the LE Aisling, 1980.

The agreed programme for government has undertaken to prepare a second defence white paper and this will consider expanding the Naval role further and increasing the size of the flotilla.

The Naval Service is to be given an expanded role in tackling drug smuggling on the high seas as part of an European crackdown on international crime.

Powers

The service will be given powers to chase suspected boats outside Ireland's 12-mile territorial waters.

The Naval Service, Gardai and Customs will all be involved in the new initiative, which also includes the UK, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Portugal, and will be headquartered in Lisbon.

One of the three new vessels will have enhanced capacity to carry equipment, including 15 to 20 armoured personnel carriers, as part of supplies for Irish troops operating overseas on peace missions.

An expert group set up to examine the purchases decided on two different type vessels.

The larger vessel will be 120 to 140 metres in length. The two smaller vessels will be similar to the LE Roisin class, 75 to 85 metres long.

After an examination of the tenders, the Department of Defence will decide if it should exercise an option to acquire further replacement vessels in the future.

- Tom Brady,

At least they are looking at expanding the fleet size, and if accurate, up to 140 Meters?...maybe they are expanding their options for what they want?

[hptmurphy]

The Kiwis are willing to cut corners in places the Irish have learnt not to(learnt the hard way, in some cases).

Care to enlighten us?

[DeV]

Excellent news from the Cabinet

[Goldie fish]

The Kiwis are willing to cut corners in places the Irish have learnt not to(learnt the hard way, in some cases).

Care to enlighten us?

One engine room. Two engines. Consider the L.E.Aisling incident? All subsequent Naval vessels have an engine room for each engine.

[hptmurphy]

Which particular Aisling incident..she's had quite a few....

I know the one you refer too the amunition on deck and the fire below...regardless of the division of machinery spaces if that fire hadn't been contained there would have been a vacancy for a PV a lot earlier.

She had another fire in the chippies store in 1986 while along side.

Her gun deck flare was badly buckled by a rogue wave the same year and had to be replaced.

A crew memeber suffered serious injuries from an accident with a lifting hook for a gemini.

All within the space of a few two years..bloody jinx.