The US Navy and US Coast Guard on March 2 released a request for proposal (RFP) for the advance procurement and detail design for the Coast Guard’s heavy polar icebreaker (HPIB) under an integrated program office (IPO). The RFP has options for detail design and construction for up to three HPIBs. A
Kuwait’s Marine surveillance department has contracted Spanish shipbuilder Freire Shipyard to build a new 42-meter fisheries surveillance patrol vessel. The contract for this patrol vessel came into force in February 2018, Freire announced, and the vessel is scheduled to be delivered in the fourth q
South African defense procurement agency ARMSCOR has finalized negotiations with South African Shipyards (SAS) for the construction of a hydrographic survey vessel as part of the navy’s Project Hotel. The agreement was finalized in February 2018, a year after SAS was selected as the preferred bidder
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrived in Vietnam on Monday, marking the first visit of a US aircraft carrier to the country after the end of Vietnam War in 1975. Carl Vinson and its 5,000 crew anchored two nautical miles off the port city of Danang for a four-day visit to the country. [&h
US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) got underway from her new homeport in Sasebo, Japan, to complete a pre-deployment readiness assessment before switching to operations as part of the ship’s first patrol in the Indo-Pacific region. Wasp is undergoing a Naval Surface Forces-led ready fo
German Navy’s Brandenburg-class frigate FGS Bayern is scheduled to get underway from her homeport of Wilhelmsaven on March 7 to start a six-month deployment to the Aegean Sea. During their time in the Aegean Sea, the frigate and her crew will operate as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SN
Royal Australian Navy submariners have developed a new solution for the temporary accommodation on board Collins-class submarines as an alternative to wooden beds currently in use. The sailors from Fleet Support Unit – West at HMAS Stirling designed and built the “Submarine Accommodation Capsule”, d
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) departed the Black Sea on March 3, after conducting maritime security operations. The US Navy vessel entered the Black Sea in February 2018, joining sister ship USS Ross. Carney’s crew visited Varna for a scheduled port visit to st
Shipbuilder Austal USA has launched USNS Burlington, the US Navy’s 10th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel. Burlington was launched on March 1 following the last week’s christening. “Ship launches are milestone events in any shipbuilding program, but today’s launch is particularly significant
Chilean ASMAR Shipyards has contracted GE’s Marine Solutions to deliver a complete marine propulsion system for the Chilean Navy’s new Antarctic icebreaking Polar-class vessel. It will replace the retired icebreaker to continue the navy’s Antarctic expedition for search and rescue missions, scientif
Australian defense industry minister on March 2 announced the signing of a AU$1.2 billion program for the five-year upkeep of Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigates. The sustainment contract has secured the jobs of almost 1700 workers minister Christopher Pyne said on Friday. The contract is an
Turkish defense contractor STM announced it has been awarded a contract to modernize a second Pakistan Navy Agosta 90B submarine. The contract signing ceremony took place March 1 at the premises of Pakistan defense ministry’s procurement agency. The contract for the modernization of the first submar
The Indian navy’s Western Naval Command wrapped up a large scale operational exercise in the Arabian Sea. Dubbed ‘Paschim Leher’ (XPL), the three week long exercise is designed to test the operational readiness of the Western Naval Command and the execution of it’s operational plans. Over 40 naval a
The commanders of NATO’s operation Sea Guardian and EU-led operation Sophia met at sea on February 24 to discuss closer tactical level coordination and information sharing in the central Mediterranean Sea. The task group commander for NATO’s maritime security operation Sea Guardian (OSG) visited the
