Amid reduced funding for spares across all the UK armed forces, the Royal Navy has increased equipment cannibalization by 49% in the last five years, a report published by the UK National Audit Office says. While equipment cannibalization can be necessary – and authorized by the defense ministry – i
The US Navy transferred four rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) to the Hellenic Navy in Souda Bay, Greece, on October 31. The boats were transferred based on an Excess Defense Articles (EDA) grant under the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) through which the Pentagon transfers excess equipment to forei
Two Australian companies have received contracts for work on the UK Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates, Australian defense industry minister announced November 2. Christopher Pyne said Type 26 main contractor BAE Systems chose Tasmanian-based Liferaft Systems Australia to provide the ship’s Marine Ev
Royal Navy support ship RFA Tidesurge and Republic of Korea Navy’s lead Daegu-class frigate signed a bond of sisterhood, cementing their friendship with a long-standing tradition in the Asian country. For the rest of their lives, ROKS Daegu and RFA Tidesurge will follow each other’s progress, share
The latest round of Mediterranean Sea patrols carried out by NATO ships as part of operation Sea Guardian concluded on October 30 and saw the participation of four ships and one submarine. Ships from the navies of Bulgaria, Italy, Romania and Turkey, in cooperation with maritime patrol aircraft from
Russian Navy submarine Veliky Novgorod has launched more cruise missiles at ISIS positions as the Syrian Democratic Forces on Monday started an offensive on the last ISIS stronghold in Deir ez-Zor. According to the Russian defense ministry, the fifth Project 636.3 submarine to be built for the Russi
A joint venture company formed between Germany’s thyssenkrupp, its subsidiary Atlas Elektronik and Norway’s Kongsberg was officially opened in a ceremony in Kongsberg, Norway, thyssenkrupp has announced. Named kta naval systems, the company will be the exclusive supplier of combat systems for submar
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean has assumed her role as NATO SNMG2 flagship again after returning from the Caribbean where she contributed to the UK humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation Ruman. Ocean relieved HMS Diamond – Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer which jumped in for th
The Russian Navy is set to launch the first of its modernized Borei-A (Project 955-A) submarines, the Knyaz Vladimir, next month, Russian media say. These plans were revealed by Russian Navy chief Admiral Vladimir Korolev in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) newspaper. This announceme
A fire broke out aboard the Polish Navy’s only Kilo-class submarine ORP Orzeł recently, as it was docked at the Polish Navy shipyard in Gdynia for repairs. The incident was initially not reported by the defense ministry and was confirmed by Armed Forces General Command spokesman Czesław Cichy to new
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth left her home port for the first time on Monday, starting the second round of sea trials. Leaving her jetty at Her Majesty’s Naval base Portsmouth on October 30, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her crew started five to six weeks of machinery and systems trials
The Indonesian Navy received its second Perusak Kawal Rudal (PKR) guided-missile frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai during a ceremony in Surabaya, Indonesia, on October 30. Named after the Indonesian War of Independence hero who fought against the Dutch between 1945 and 1949, KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai is t
