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USS Harry S. Truman returns to sea, gets ready for dual carrier ops
After returning to Norfolk three months into what was regularly a seven-month deployment, nearly 6,500 sailors of the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group (HSTCSG) returned to sea again departing from Naval Station (NS) Norfolk, Virginia, on August 28. HSTCSG deployed April 11, 2018, and returned to
MAG Aerospace boosts naval UAV presence with Ausley acquisition
Virginia-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance specialist MAG Aerospace (MAG) has acquired Ausley Associates to boost its naval unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) services offering. MAG said the acquisition adds over 200 system engineering, program management, and logistics professionals t
USS Mason aids in rescue of seaplane passengers
US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) aided in the transport of passengers from a damaged seaplane that was adrift at sea in the Western Atlantic Ocean August 25. Mason was on operations in the Atlantic with Carrier Strike Group 12, when the US Navy diverted the ship to rendezvous wi
Russia conducts cruise missile tests ahead of largest drill in three decades
Russia’s Pacific Fleet recently held a cruise-missile drill which saw guided-missile cruisers, nuclear submarines and mobile coastal defense missile systems launch a total of seven cruise missiles at surface targets in the Sea of Okhotsk. Sava-class cruiser Varyag launched the P-1000 Vulkan anti-shi
Spain deploys Aegis frigate Cristóbal Colón to NATO’s SNMG2
Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Cristóbal Colón got underway from her homeport in Ferrol on August 25 to join NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegis-equipped frigate will first contribute to the maritime situational awareness picture and counter-terrorism operations in the
RAN frigate, oiler deploy for operations, drills
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Stuart and oiler HMAS Sirius got underway from Fleet Base West on August 22 for several months of operations. Despite sailing together for the Australian-hosted exercise Kakadu 2018 which will be held off Darwin, both ships will have a very different schedule of ev
US Navy’s ASTARS III completes first flight
The US Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) completed the first flight of the recently-delivered Airborne Systems Training and Research Support (ASTARS) III, August 21. The first flight objective validated the aircraft’s Naval subsystems ahead of its addition to the USNTPS’ class 155 syllabus which bega
US-led CARAT exercise arrives in Timor-Leste
The US Navy-led Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise kicked off at Port Hera Navy Base in Timor Leste on August 27. The CARAT with Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) is part of a series of drills conducted with countries in the Indo-Pacific. The nine-country exercise kicked off
USS Carney wraps up Black Sea tour
US Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) exited the Black Sea, August 27, after 15 days of maritime security operations and theater security engagements. USS Carney was in the Black Sea at the same time as USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7), which became the first Spearhead-class expeditiona
India clears purchase of 24 ASW helicopters
India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the procurement of 24 new anti-submarine warfare capable, multi-role helicopters (MRHs) for the Indian Navy. According to earlier reports, the helicopters in question are Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, which are expected
Construction starts on Chilean Navy’s Antarctic icebreaking vessel
Chilean state-owned shipbuilder ASMAR has officially started construction on the new Antarctic icebreaking vessel for the Chilean Navy. The steel-cutting ceremony took place on August 16 and was attended by shipyard and navy officials. Dubbed Project “Antarctica I”, the new Polar-class vessel will r
Brazil’s new helicopter carrier arrives home
The Brazilian Navy’s new helicopter carrier PHM Atlântico (A 140) arrived at her homeport in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday after a 25-day voyage from Plymouth, UK. The former Royal Navy ship (ex-HMS Ocean) was refitted in Plymouth before the Brazilian crew underwent Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) ahe
Multinational maritime drill SEACAT kicks off in Singapore
A nine-nation maritime domain awareness exercise kicked off in Singapore on August 27. Named Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT), the exercise is aimed at developing a common understanding of what is going on in the maritime environment and how best to operate as an effective unified ma
Wasp ARG meets with JMSDF in Philippine Sea
Ships from the US Navy’s Wasp amphibious ready group (ARG) met up with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) amphibious transport dock ship JS Osumi (LST 4001) in the Philippine Sea for maneuvers on August 26. During a passing exercise, multiple ships sail in formation to practice communications