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Four injured in helicopter crash aboard French LHD Dixmude
A helicopter from the French Army 1st Combat helicopter regiment crashed aboard the amphibious assault ship BPC Dixmude during night-time flight operations on October 17. Four sailors were injured, one of them seriously, as the helicopter crashed during takeoff, the French defense ministry said. The
US Navy christening two Virginia-class submarines in one day
The US Navy will christen two Virginia-class submarines in two separate ceremonies on Saturday, October 20. The first ceremony starts at 10 a.m. EDT at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Newport News, Virginia, where the future USS Delaware (SSN 791) will be c
MH-60 helicopter crashes aboard USS Ronald Reagan
An MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter crashed aboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during flight operations on Friday, the US Navy informed. The helicopter, assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, crashed on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier shortly after takeoff at approximately 9 a.m., Oct. 19. The na
Austal gets $57m long lead contract for 13th US Navy EPF
The US Navy has awarded Austal USA a $57.8 million order to fund the procurement of long lead-time materials for the construction of the 13th 103-meter Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF). Long lead-time materials for the additional vessel will include diesel engines, water jets and reduction gears.
US Navy sub hunter aces first operational aerial refueling over Mediterranean
The US Navy has shared a photo of a Poseidon P-8A ASW maritime patrol aircraft conducting the type’s first operational aerial refueling over the Mediterranean Sea. US Navy Aircrewmen assigned to the “Tridents” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 26 carried out the flight Oct. 15, 2018, while patrolling the US 6
Troubled US Coast Guard icebreaker returns from six-month overhaul
US Coast Guard’s 42-year-old icebreaker Polar Star arrived at its Seattle homeport following a six-month maintenance period at Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo, California. The icebreaker received extensive repairs and upgrades to engineering and electronic systems while completing the dry dock avail
Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands sign up for new M-class IFF systems
The navies of Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands have signed a contract with Thales for the delivery of new Mode 5 and Mode S identification friend or foe (IFF) systems for their Karel Doorman-class frigates. The upgrade to the latest NATO IFF standard will enable the vessels to perform military
F-35Bs flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth drop first test bombs
F-35 Lightning fighter jets have dropped first test bombs during flight trials on board the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The inert GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided precision bombs were dropped off the east coast of the USA, marking another significant milestone in the carrier’s tri
Croatian Navy tests RBS-15 in country’s largest drill in over 20 years
The Croatian Navy performed a test firing of its RBS-15B anti-ship missile, sinking a target vessel in a maneuver conducted as part of the country’s largest military drill since the Croatian War of Independence. The sinking exercise (SINKEX) took place on October 14 in the “Dugi Otok” training range
GD-NASSCO gets $136m long-lead deal for sixth ESB ship
The US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding a $136.7 million contract for the procurement of long lead time materials for the US Navy’s sixth Expeditionary Sea Base ship. Long lead time contracts are awarded to contractors to establish pre-production
Turkish mine warfare drill Nusret 2018 gets underway in Izmir
The Turkey-hosted international mine warfare exercise Nusret 2018 got underway in the Gulf of Izmir on October 16. Turkish minehunters are joined by ships from NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasure Group 2 for ten days of exercises. Nusret 2018 will also welcome autonomous underwater systems and ordna
Qinetiq picks Saab’s TactiCall for UK Naval Research Facility
UK defense technology company Qinetiq has ordered Saab’s integrated communication system, TactiCall, for use at their Shore-based Information Facility (SIF), a testing facility in Portsdown, near Portsmouth in the UK. QinetiQ’s SIF is used to carry out the testing and evaluation of communications eq
Indian Navy performs maiden trials of new submarine rescue system
India’s Western Naval Command recently started the maiden trials of the country’s newly-delivered deep submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV). Delivered by UK-based James Fisher Defence (JFD) as part of a £193 million contract from 2016, the DSRV represents a new specialist capability for the Indian Navy
Keel laid for first Philippine Navy FAP frigate
South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries held a keel-laying ceremony for the first of two frigates built for the Philippine Navy under the Frigate Acquisition Project (FAP). The ceremony took place in Ulsan, South Korea, on October 16, and was attended by the Philippine flag-officer-in-comm