Finland’s defense minister on December 19 authorized the country’s defense forces’ logistics command to sign contracts for the upgrade of Hamina-class fast attack missile craft (FAC). The authorization follows the signing of a letter of intent and a pre-design activities contract with Patria Aviatio
The US Navy has officially received its ninth expeditionary fast transport (EPF) vessel – USNS City of Bismarck (EPF 9). The shallow-draft, aluminium catamaran was delivered to the navy by shipbuilder Austal on December 19. EPFs are capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo transport and provide
The Italian Navy has taken over command of the operation Sophia task force from the Spanish Navy in a ceremony at Italian naval base Taranto. On the occasion, Italian Navy Rear Admiral Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto replaced Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Javier Moreno as the new deputy force commander. Durin
Canadian shipbuilder Irving Shipbuilding hosted a steel-cutting ceremony on December 19, marking the construction start on the Royal Canadian Navy’s third arctic and offshore patrol ship (AOPS), the HMCS Max Bernays. Carla Qualtrough, Canadian public services and procurement minister, announced the
US Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) wrapped up eight months of operations in the US 5th Fleet area of operation returning to her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk on December 15. The cruiser got underway on April 23, as an independent deployer, to support maritime security operatio
The US Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries an initial $63 million contract to repair and restore the damaged destroyer USS Fitzgerald. After being selected to perform the repairs in August and receiving a $29.4 million planning contract in October, the Mississippi-based shipbuilder is now
Sailors aboard the US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) and ship repair personnel in Singapore concluded ten days of repairs works on the destroyer, making sure it is ready to continue its operational deployment. The voyage repair availability took place in Singapore and was comple
US Navy littoral combat ship USS Little Rock officially entered service following a commissioning ceremony on the Buffalo River on December 16. Little Rock (LCS 9) is the navy’s fifth Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), designed and built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
Dutch steel-construction manufacturer Ravestein has delivered a new caisson to the UK Royal Navy for installation at Portsmouth Naval Base. With the new caisson in place, the naval base has reopened the former “14” dry dock for the first time since 2002. Reopening this dock takes the base capability
Taking a break from her Atlantic patrol duties, Royal Fleet Auxiliary Mounts Bay stopped in Bermuda on December 15 for a three day visit. The ship has been deployed to the region to provide humanitarian and disaster relief for the UK’s Caribbean overseas territories and Bermuda. This year RFA Mounts
The Peruvian Navy officially marked the beginning of construction works on its second Makassar-class landing platform dock (LPD) ‘Paita’ with a keel-laying ceremony on December 14. The ceremony took place at the SIMA shipyard in Calao and was led by Peruvian defense minister Jorge Nieto Montesinos.
The Royal New Zealand Navy has decommissioned its tanker HMNZS Endeavour after almost 30 years of service. The decommissioning ceremony took place at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland on December 30. HMNZS Endeavour flew her white ensign for the last time earlier this month as she entered Auckland Ha
South Korea has completed the design phase of a new 5,200-ton submarine rescue ship, the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on December 15. The project of developing a new submarine rescue ship, dubbed ASR-II, was initiated in November 2015 together with South Kore
HMAS Canberra, one of the two biggest ships in the Royal Australian Navy, on Friday hosted a grand ceremony which saw 1,500 officers and sailors take part in the Australian Fleet’s 2017 Ceremonial Divisions. Sydney Harbour provided the backdrop as personnel from East based ships and shore establishm
