Saudi Arabia and Lockheed Martin have reached a $6 billion deal for the acquisition of four littoral combat ships, according to a Bloomberg report. The report said that the signed letter of agreement included a better-armed version of the Freedom-variant LCS Lockheed Martin’s industry team is buildi
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloaded approximately 18.5 tons (16,856 kilograms) of cocaine in Florida, on May 18. The wholesale value of the seized cocaine is estimated at around $498 million and is the result of a number of interdictions made by Canadian and U.S. ships along Central and South
The flagship of the U.S. 7th Fleet, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), became the first ship of its class to obtain a large-scale upgrade to its network infrastructure in March with the installation of CANES. The Consolidated Afloat Network and Enterprise Services (CANES) is a more integrated and flexible vir
India and Republic of Singapore started their ongoing bilateral naval exercise SIMBEX-17 with an opening ceremony in Singapore, on May 18. SIMBEX (Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises) first started in 1994 and this year’s edition of the exercise, being held in the South China Sea, is the 24
The U.S. Navy’s new AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) for the EA-18G Growler is now ready for fabrication and tests after completing CDR, the Naval Air Systems Command announced on May 18. The new Increment (Inc) 1 Mid-band jammer passed the critical design review (CDR) at Naval Air Station Pa
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Atomics a $195.1 million contract modification which will see the company manufacture, assemble and test the advanced arresting gear for the third Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 80). General Atomics will be responsible for the installation of the sy
The prime contractor for the construction of Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates has contracted Brüel & Kjær to deliver a hull vibration monitoring system (HVME) for the new class of ships. The system is supposed to reduce a ship’s radiated noise signature providing self-noise monitoring capabilities
Ships from the U.S. Navy’s Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group (TRCSG) completed tailored ship’s training availability (TSTA), final evolution problem (FEP) and group sail (GRUSL), May 12, in preparation for their upcoming deployment. TRCSG units include USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Hals
The multinational maritime exercise Phoenix Express concluded with a closing ceremony at the Escuela de Infanteria de Marina General Albacete Fuster in Cartagena, Spain, on May 17. Maritime forces from Europe, North Africa, and the United States came together to celebrate the 13th iteration of the m
The German defense ministry’s plan for a quick acquisition of additional five K130 corvettes has been brought to a halt following a ruling by the German cartel office on May 18. The defense ministry wanted to avoid an open procedure by buying the five corvettes from the Lürssen- Thyssen Krupp Marine
Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate ITS Carabiniere will be performing counter-piracy duties off the Horn of Africa after completing a promotional tour to Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The Carlo Bergamini-class frigate started her “Italian industry showcase” deployment in December last year and travele
The U.S. Navy, together with shipbuilders at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard, laid the keel for its 19th littoral combat ship, the future USS St. Louis. The ceremony took place in Marinette, Wisconsin, on May 17. Ship sponsor Barbara Broadhurst Taylor completed the time-honored tradition a
Two Russian Su-24 fighter aircraft buzzed the Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS Evertsen in the Baltic Sea. The frigate is currently part of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 and has been operating in the Baltic Sea since joining the group last week. According to Dutch
A U.S. Navy Rear Admiral was sentenced in federal court to 18 months in prison for lying to investigators about his relationship with a defense contractor who cheated the navy out of millions of dollars. U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau was jailed after trying conceal his illicit 20-year relati
