European Shipbuilding Foundering

According to a recent Armed Forces Journal article, the European shipbuilding industry is pretty thin on orders for new ships. It is anticipated, according to the article, that the European shipbuilding nations will be forced to collaborate and eventually consolidate in order to survive.

The biggest warship program in Europe is the British-French-Italian Project 'HORIZON' Common New Generation Frigate. The Brits are running the risk that if the CNGF project does not get going pretty soon, this construction will clash with its own successor, the Future Escort which is slated to replace England's Type 22 and 23 frigates -- the last three of which are still under construction at Yarrow. The first ships of Project HORIZON were to enter service in the year 2002, but it seems highly unlikely. The year 2004 seems more probable at this juncture.

A New Cold War?

According to the Defense Monitor, the newsletter of the Center for Defense Information, there is a very real possibility that this could be a real possibility. Major reasons stated by the CD1 are:

Relations between the USA and Russia have dangerously worsened since 1993
The Russian economic crisis and military collapse have increased the risk of loss of control over nuclear weapons;
Deteriorating US-Russian relations threaten existing arms control agreements and future nuclear reductions;
NATO expansion has created suspicion and distrust among Russians
The US-Russian rivalry in the Caspian Region has led Russia to fear loss of influence in the former Soviet republics and of important economic resources;
Many Russians believe the USA has sought to weaken their country in recent years.