Australian Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence unveiled the long-awaited 2016 Australian Defence White Paper February 25. The plan is set to increase defence spending by AUS $29.9 billion (approx. US $21.5 billion) over the following ten years. A Defence Industry Policy Statement (DIPS) and a
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans has rescued two men trapped on a sinking vessel in the Gulf of Oman. Whilst carrying out maritime security operations the frigate was contacted by an Omani Air Force surveillance aircraft and asked to respond to a stricken dhow in the Gulf of Oman. The airc
A Swedish Navy surface ship spotted a periscope of an unknown submarine during military exercises in Swedish waters last year, local news site Dagens Nyheter reported. The news caught international attention because it happened only half a year after the 2014 major submarine hunt in the Stockholm ar
Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy) will be taking part in the U.S. Navy-organized international maritime exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), with a yet to be determined number of units. Wu Qian, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman confirmed this at a regular briefing despite of recently hei
R/V Sally Ride, U.S. Navy’s Auxiliary General Purpose Oceanographic Research Vessel (AGOR), completed builder’s trials, February 21, off the coast of Anacortes, Washington. Builder’s Trials for Sally Ride tested various shipboard systems and ensured readiness prior to conducting Acceptance Trials wi
The Royal Australian Navy is contributing to the humanitarian assistance mission to Fiji in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Winston with three helicopters. Two MRH-90 helicopters will depart HMAS Albatross to join another MRH-90 from 808 Squadron onboard HMAS Canberra in Brisbane, Australia before
Boarding party teams of the Royal Australian Navy’s Adelaide-class frigate HMAS Darwin recently sharpened their counter-terrorism skills as the ship begins maritime patrols in the Middle East region with Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). During Darwin’s stopover in Bahrain, the Australian sailors cond
Royal Australian Navy divers from the Clearance Diving Team conducted live explosive demolitions on land and below the water last week. About 60 divers completed the Explosive Ordnance Disposal training, which was held to refresh their skills in the application of in-service explosive and ordnance d
U.S. Navy’s oldest Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Bremerton (SSN 698) docked in Sembawang, Singapore for a port visit during its Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment on February 22. USS Bremerton, nicknamed “Bad Fish” by the crew, has had routine presence throughout the region for more than 30 years
The Pacific arm of the Russian Navy fleet is set to participate in this year’s iteration of the Indonesian-organized multilateral exercise Komodo 2016, the navy confirmed. The second Komodo exercise will be held in April 2016, in Padang – West Sumatera, Siberut and Sapura islands, Indonesia. Represe
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded French defence company Thales a £19 (approx. $26.4) million contract to perform a mid-life update to the External Communications Voice Distribution and Management System (called KMY) for the Royal Navy (RN) Type 23 frigate fleet. Known as KRS (KMY Replacement S
The U.S. Navy will sail, fly and operate wherever international law allows, Admiral Harry B. Harris, Commander of the United States Pacific Command, said at an Armed Services House committee hearing yesterday, February 24. The U.S. Navy Admiral, in confirmation of U.S. fears, said that China was “cl
The Chinese Navy has received a new-generation indigenously-built guided missile frigate, the People’s Liberation Army official news site said yesterday, February 24. The new 140-meter long and 16-meter wide vessel was named Xiangtan, after a city in the Chinese Hunan Province. The report further sa
Norwegian maritime services company Bergen Group Services has been awarded a one-year extension of the contract for the ship technical maintenance of the Norwegian Navy’s Fridtjof Nansen frigates. The company said the contract has an estimated value of NOK 70 (approx. $8.1) million. The project invo
