The Republic of Korea Navy has received the first of eight Daegu-class (FFX II) frigates, ROKS Daegu (FFG-818), South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on Thursday. Daegu is expected to become operational in the second half of 2018. The frigate was built by Daewoo S
Construction of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s largest ever vessel, the HMNZS Aotearoa, officially started on January 31 with a steel cutting ceremony at Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard in South Korea. The ice-going tanker will be launched in March next year, and enter service in 2020. The ta
The Australian government on Thursday announced that the Air Warfare Destroyer project was removed from the Projects of Concern list due to continuing improvements in shipbuilding performance. Following an independent review by Professor Don Winter and Dr John White and a review by the Australian Na
The international maritime law enforcement exercise Cutlass Express 2018 kicked off in Djibouti, January 31, under the sponsorship of US Africa Command. The seventh iteration of the annual exercise is led by US Naval Force Africa and is aimed at assessing and improving combined maritime law enforcem
The Royal Navy’s smallest commissioned vessel, Her Majesty’s Survey Launch Gleaner, returned to Devonport homeport one last time on Tuesday ahead of her decommissioning. In mist and rain, and with a 16-metre decommissioning pennant tied to the stern rail to prevent it flapping around uncontrollably,
French autonomous systems developer ECA Group announced its participation in the EU-led autonomous systems integration project OCEAN2020. With Italy’s Leonardo at the helm, ECA Group will join partners from 15 European countries to work on the first cross-European military research program to-date.
Australian shipbuilder ASC signed a collaboration agreement with international engineering consultancy BMT to meet increasing demand for ASC’s submarine platform expertise and experience. The 12-month collaboration agreement, signed at ASC’s submarine headquarters at Osborne, South Australia, will s
US Navy ships assigned to the America amphibious ready group are on the final leg of their return home from a seven-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific. The ships are scheduled to enter Naval Station San Diego on February 2 after stopping at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, late January. Dur
The US Navy has awarded General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) a contract to develop advanced, high energy density capacitors for use in High Power Microwave (HPM) systems. GA-EMS is applying advanced technologies to create high energy density capacitors that will enable the deployment of
The US Navy has awarded BAE Systems two contracts totalling $54.8 million to modernize the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71). Both contracts include options that, if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value of the awards t
US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced it has completed testing and trials of the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) vessel. The technology demonstration vessel, christened Sea Hunter, has now been delivered to the Office of Naval Research (
The Australian government on January 31 announced it signed the patrol vessel construction contract with German shipbuilder Lürssen. Australian defense industry minster Christopher Pyne said the contract with Lürssen to lead the design and build is worth at least $3 billion for 12 OPVs. “The vessels
French shipbuilders STX France and Socarenam joined forces with Belgium’s EDR to try and secure a contract for the construction of 12 mine counter measure vessels for the navies of Belgium and the Netherlands. The two navies are jointly procuring mine countermeasure (MCM) vessels and frigates with B
Indian shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) launched the third Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarine for the Indian Navy at its shipyard on January 31. The submarine was named ‘Karanj’ and was launched by Mrs Reena Lanba, President Navy Wives Welfare Association. The launch ceremon