Construction of the final Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) took an important step forward today, as the Minister of State for Defence Procurement started a computer-guided laser to cut the first piece of hull. During a visit to BAE Systems’ Govan yard in Glasgow, Defence Minister Philip Dunne
French Navy’s frigate FS Courbet joined EU Naval Force MED operation on October 2. The vessel departed from her home base in Toulon, France, with a Panther helicopter from the French Naval Aviation 36F Flottille, allowing it to significantly expand the scope of its sensors. Whilst with EUNAVFOR MED,
As part of the ongoing SEACAT 2015 exercise, the Philippine Navy and US Navy engaged in a scenario-based visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) drill. Philippine Navy’s ship BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS32) approached the US Navy’s ship USNS Millinocket for the VBSS, where USNS Millinocket acted as the
A test conducted by the US Navy and Raytheon on Oct. 5 demonstrated that the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile can take a reconnaissance photo and follow orders to re-target in mid-flight. During the test, a missile launched from the guided missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101) used its onboard cam
Spanish frigate ESPS Canarias officially joined EUNAVFOR MED on October 5, 2015. The Spanish ship reached the European mission flag-ship, the Italian aircraft vessel Cavour, in the military harbor of Augusta, in Sicily, early in the morning, spending an entire briefing-day on board to complete the p
HMAS Melbourne’s crew has seized 427 kilograms of heroin hidden in a fishing dhow carrying the illegal drugs across the Indian Ocean. The intercept occurred during Melbourne’s first patrol of her current Operation MANITOU deployment to the Middle East region. The crew of HMAS Melbourne observed the
Indian Navy’s new indigenously built Torpedo Launch and Recovery Vessel INS Astradharini was commissioned October 6 at the Naval Base Visakhapatnam. The design of the Astradharini was a collaborative effort of NSTL, M/s Shoft Shipyard and IIT Kharagpur. The vessel has a catamaran hull form that sign
More than 4,000 Sailors and Marines from the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSGARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26 MEU) departed from Norfolk and Little Creek, Virginia and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct 6. The deployment is part of a regular rotation of forces to support maritime secu
In its first mission, Irish Navy’s LÉ Samuel Beckett was tasked by the Italian Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (IMRCC) to investigate a wooden craft sighted by an Italian naval helicopter 80 kilometers north west of Tripoli Oct. 5. Another Irish ship, LÉ Niamh, located the vessel and commenced a
A New Zealand Defence Force P-3K2 Orion aircraft located a dinghy which had been lost in the Pacific since Sept 29. All three occupants were well and uninjured. The dingy went missing near Tokelau on Tuesday morning New Zealand time. Air Component Commander Air Commodore (AIRCDRE) Kevin McEvoy said
Crowley Maritime Corp.’s government services group has been awarded a new technical management contract for five U.S. government-owned, Military Sealift Command (MSC) Roll-On/Roll-Off and container ships (ROCON). Under the approximately $130 million contract, Crowley will provide full turnkey operat
Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), led by Portuguese Navy Rear Admiral Alberto Correia, recently departed from three different ports in Scotland for the sea phase of the UK-led Exercise JOINT WARRIOR 15-2. While the scenario of JOINT WARRIOR is fictitious, the importance of realistic and effect
The 14th annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercise commenced at the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Multinational Operations and Exercises Centre (MOEC) Oct. 5. SEACAT focuses on regional cooperation to address shared maritime security challenges like smuggling, piracy and other
The 35th annual San Francisco Fleet Week runs Oct. 5-12, and will welcome more than 2,000 Sailors and Marines to the Bay Area for the week-long tribute to the sea services. Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25), guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71), guided-missile destro
