MAST Asia 2015: UK companies make push to be big in Japan

[Zarvan]

UK design house BMT has suggested its Caimen-90 Tri-bow Fast Landing Craft could fulfil a Japanese requirement for high-speed amphibious landing capabilities. Source: BMT
The UK defence and maritime industry had a formidable presence at MAST Asia 2015, with several companies hoping to stoke Japanese interest in their products with the support of UK Trade & Investment, a government department dedicated to helping companies export their products to new markets.

Ship design company BMT Group and missile house MBDA had stands in the UKTI booth. MBDA is working with Mitsubishi Electric to discuss the feasibility of using Japanese technology on the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, which could also see service on Japanese F-35As. According to UKTI's Tim Johnson, the feasibility study is due to report at the end of summer 2015.

Meanwhile, BMT head of Business Development Toby Middleton was keen to promote the company's Caimen-90 Fast Landing Craft as a possible landing platform for Japan's newly formed amphibious assault force. Each of the tri-bow monohull vessels can carry a main battle tank (MBT) to shore at 22 kt and offload its payload using a folding bow ramp.

Two Caimen-90 Fast could fit within the same space as a single landing craft air cushion hovercraft, which can only carry a single MBT but travels much faster. Middleton was keen to stress that BMT is a designer so any Japanese platforms could be built domestically.

Chemring Countermeasures held a product briefing for their Centurion directional launcher system. The 12-barrel rotating multirole naval protection system can fire a range of rocket- and mortar-launched countermeasures to protect against close-in threats.

Engineering support company Babcock International also exhibited and presented a paper at the MAST technical conference outlining its expertise in submarine weapons systems and design. Business Development Manager James Date expressed the multinational's interest in working with Japanese primes in the possible sale of Soryu-class submarines to Australia.

Not all UK exhibitors at the show were working under with the support of UKTI. Naval communications specialist Drumgrange Ltd exhibited alongside their Japanese distributor, Marubun Corporation. The two companies signed a GBP1.5 million (USD2.4 million) contract with the Japan Coast Guard to provide acoustic hailing devices for use to communicate with unresponsive ships during maritime patrols and interdiction operations. With their focus on rigid inflatable boat (RIB) communications accessories, such as their robust Xtreme Tablet PC and the Xeres communications solutions, Business Development Manager Suzanne Coop remarked that Drumgrange was looking to supply equipment to Japan's growing RIB fleet.

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MAST Asia 2015: UK companies make push to be big in Japan - IHS Jane's 360