The UK Royal Navy has welcomed two major warships home from operations in Europe and Asia Pacific. On Friday, Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond returned home to Portsmouth after two months of operations in the Mediterranean while amphibious assault ship HMS Albion returned to Plymouth after a ten-month
The first of a new class of Royal Australian Navy’s auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) ships, the future HMAS Supply, was launched by Spanish shipbuilder Navantia at its Ferrol shipyard on November 23. HMAS Supply (II) was launched following a keel laying ceremony in November 2017. Supply and siste
The Republic of Korea Navy received its fourth and final Cheon Wang Bong-class tank landing ship LST-2 on November 21, the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced. The vessel is named ROKS No Jeok Bong (pennant number 689) and is the third to be delivered by South Korea
The Australian government has awarded Sydney-based unmanned systems developer Ocius a $1.7 million contract to explore the viability of an intelligent command and control network of persistent unmanned surface vessels. Awarded as part of the Australian Defence Innovation Hub initiative, the contract
A US Navy carrier strike group centered around the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) arrived in Hong Kong for a scheduled port visit on November 21. The arrival of Ronald Reagan to Hong Kong follows China’s refusal to allow amphibious assault ship USS Wasp to visit the city in September th
US Navy amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) departed the waters near Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on November 20 after assisting relief efforts in the aftermath of super typhoon Yutu. Ashland sailors worked with Department of Defense to provide suppo
Royal Navy amphibious assault ship HMS Albion has completed the final port call of a ten-month deployment to Asia-Pacific. Albion departed Gibraltar on November 20 and is expected to arrive at its Plymouth homeport on Friday. After a number of stops in the Asia-Pacific region and Middle East – Indon
The US State Department has approved a possible sale of eight Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block 1B missiles and thirteen SM-3 Block 2A missiles to Japan for an estimated cost of $561 million. In an announcement on November 19, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the contract also included
The United States will team up with Australia and Papua New Guinea for the redevelopment of the Pacific Island nation’s Lombrum naval base on Manus island, US vice president Mike Pence announced at the APEC leaders summit. Pence’s announcement comes a month after Australia announced an agreement wit
A new class of Royal Australian Navy offshore patrol vessels (OPV) officially started construction in a ceremony in Adelaide on November 15. Deputy Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Mark Hammond, joined staff from Navy’s Construction Branch in Adelaide today to see the welding of the first two component b
Mine countermeasure ships from the navies of the US and Japan will be joined by their Australian counterparts for a mine warfare exercise off the coast of southern Japan which kicks off November 17. The drill is called Mine Warfare Exercise 3JA 2018 and is part of an annual exercise series organized
UK defense contractor SEA announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Australian-defense company Daronmont Technologies to address Royal Australian Navy requirements outlined in the Future Submarine (SEA 1000) and Hunter-class Frigate (SEA 5000) programs. Daronmont Technolog
The US Navy’s annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) maritime exercise kicked off at Muara Naval Base, Brunei, November 12. The CARAT exercise series is conducted every year by the US Navy. The evolution in Brunei started after similar engagements concluded in Indonesia, Malaysia a
US Navy’s forward-deployed Naval Beach Unit (NBU) 7 conducted landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) interoperability drills with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in Sasebo, Japan on November 8. US Navy sailors departed the Yokose LCAC facility in LCAC 09, transited the Sasebo Outer Harbor, and then
