US shipbuilding struggles to keep pace with China
The small production capacity of US shipyards has generated multiple delays in US Navy programmes.
Thales will provide through-life-support for simulators at naval facilities across France for the French Navy under a contract announced on 4 November.
The contract includes support for 41 simulators at six facilities for the next six years.
The simulators cover a broad spectrum of operations and all deployment contexts, including shipboard system maintenance and surface vessel crew training, as well as firing simulators for the Mistral missile, 12.7 mm and 20 mm guns and other weapons.
The systems provide training for French Navy surface vessel crew, including multi-mission frigates, air defence frigates and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
The contract covers systems currently in use with the navy and those on order.
The small production capacity of US shipyards has generated multiple delays in US Navy programmes.
The company is the first based in Asia to achieve certification from the American Bureau of Shipping.
The longstanding modular torpedo launching system has been adopted by the unnamed navy.
The outgoing US Secretary of the Navy named destroyers, submarines and aircraft carriers during his last weeks in office.
Autonomous vessels can reduce risk to the lives of naval personnel, but could retrofitting be a faster, cheaper option?
South Korea is moving ahead at speed with its frigate programme, involving both domestic heavy-hitting shipbuilders.