Royal Navy minehunter HMS Ramsey got underway from its homeport of HMNB Clyde last week to start a deployment with the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1). During its deployment, Ramsey will help with the disposal of historical ordnance left over from conflicts in the Northern Europ
Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Victoria pulled into the Haifa port on May 25 for her first ever visit to Israel. The 31-year-old Santa Maria-class frigate arrived in Haifa together with Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan for a weekend port call. The two ships are currently deployed to NATO’s Standin
The Russian Navy’s second Project 11711 landing ship ‘Petr Morgunov’ was launched in the Baltic Sea city of Kaliningrad on May 25. The ceremony was held at the main shipyard of the Yantar shipyard The launch of Peter Morgunov comes shortly after the Russian Navy announced that the lead ship in the c
The upcoming flagship NATO exercise Trident Juncture 2018 is expected to be one of the largest ever with 40,000 personnel, around 120 aircraft and as many as 70 ships converging this fall in Norway. Compared to the 2015 edition of the exercise which was said to be “the largest NATO exercise in a dec
The first of two high-speed multi-purpose vessels for the Italian Navy’s special forces – the Operational Raiders Group – was launched on May 26. The vessel was launched by Italian shipbuilder Intermarine SpA at its Messina shipyard. The ceremony was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Italian Nav
The Estonian-hosted mine warfare drill Open Spirit concluded in the Baltic Sea on May 25. The two-week multinational naval mine clearance and ordnance disposal operation took place in two main areas – around Tallin, and around the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumma. In addition to ships from Baltic sta
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The Royal Navy has taken delivery of the first upgraded Commando Merlin Mk4 which has been designed for Royal Marine aircraft carrier operations. The helicopters are being upgraded to a faster and more powerful aircraft than their predecessors. With a new maritime grey coat, a folding main rotor and
The committees of the British House of Commons and the French National Assembly have decided to launch a joint inquiry into the development of a new generation of cruise and anti-ship missiles. Following the proposal of Dr. Julian Lewis, chairman of the House of Commons Defence Committee, and Jean-J
A new anti-air missile system designed to protect the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers as well as other ships in the fleet has been declared operational, the UK defense ministry has announced. Developed at a cost of about £850m (approx. US$1.1b), the Sea Ceptor is the Royal Navy’s new short-range
Royal Navy sailors who will be in charge of flight deck operations aboard the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) have visited Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland to get acquainted with the F-35B Lightning II. Up to this point, flying control and flight deck control teams assigne
The UK defense ministry’s program for the development of a new class of nuclear missile submarines and Trident nuclear program renewal is facing a £2.9b “affordability gap”, a review by spending watchdog National Audit Office (NAO) has found. This is in addition to the pressure faced by the defense