Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Kaha returned to her homeport at Devonport Naval Base after almost six months of operations across the Asia-Pacific region. As the frigate approach the base, Te Kaha fired a 17-gun salute to the Chief of Navy who replied with a 7-gun salute from the shore. Te
U.S. Navy’s Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group was joined by a U.S. destroyer and four Australian frigates to test elements of the up-gunned ESG concept during two weeks of drills at exercise Talisman Saber 2017. The field training exercise (FTX) component of TS17 tested a combined and join
Engineering firm WR Davis became the first Canadian company to be picked by BAE Systems to deliver equipment for the construction of the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates. BAE Systems as the prime contractor on the program awarded a C$12m contract to WR Davis Engineering Ltd for the uptake and downt
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and ships from its carrier strike group arrived in Portsmouth, UK, today ahead of a major two-week drill. Accompanied by the USS Philippine Sea, USS Donald Cook and Norwegian ship HNoMS Helge Insgstad, the aircraft carrier is on the final leg of its de
A visit by Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan to the Ukrainian port of Odessa on July 24 marked the first UK warship visit to Ukraine in eight years. The Portsmouth-based destroyer led a NATO task group into the Ukrainian port at the start of a three-day visit ahead of exercises with the host nation’s
Armed forces from 19 nations concluded two weeks of multinational exercises and events at-sea and in port, in Loma, Peru. The 58th iteration of the longest running multinational naval exercise closed on July 26. Participating nations utilized 30 vessels, 28 aircraft as well as several submarines and
The combined U.S.-Australian exercise Talisman Saber 2017 concluded in Brisbane on July 25 after 30 days of high-end, mid-intensity warfighting scenarios. Two years in the planning, Talisman Saber involved approximately 33,000 participants, 36 warships and over 220 aircraft. Luke Howarth MP, Austral
The U.S. Navy and Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the first production contract for the air-launched variant of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) on July 25. Worth $86.5 million, the contract will see the company deliver 23 missiles and engineering support. Low-rate initial production Lot 1
After concluding their drills with the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea, ships from the Chinese Navy’s task group are scheduled to visit Finland for a regularly scheduled port call. Three Chinese warships, Type 052D destroyer Hefei (DDG-174), Type 054A frigate Yuncheng (571) and Type 903 replenishment
U.S. Military Sealift Command ships completed a series of “skin-to-skin” operations in the vicinity of Saipan last month, honing teamwork skills. During the 17 days of exercises expeditionary transfer dock USNS Montford Point (T-ESD 1) trained with ships from Maritime Prepositioning Squadron Three (
The UK Royal Navy announced an investment of £2 million for the expansion and modernization of Gibraltar’s ‘Windy Hill’ monitoring station. Sitting high above the Strait of Gibraltar, personnel at the monitoring facility keep an eye on 60,000 ships entering or leaving the Mediterranean, or crossing
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) wrapped up five days of sea trials returning to its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk on July 25. This was Truman’s first time underway in nearly a year, as the ship underwent a planned incremental availability (PIA), which began last September
Indian shipbuilder Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) launched two offshore patrol vessels for the Indian Navy at its shipyard in Pipavav on July 25. Named Shachi and Shruti, the OPVs are the first two of overall five planned ships in the class. The primary role of the NOPVs will be to
German Navy’s Frankenthal-class minehunter FGS Sulzbach-Rosenberg will be joining NATO’ Standing Mine Counter Measure Group 1 (SNMCMG1) operating in the Baltic and North Seas, the German Navy has announced. The minehunter is set to depart its home port of Kiel, Germany, on July 28 to spend the follo
