Starting autonomous flight trials of its VSR700 Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) demonstrator, Airbus Helicopters has come a step closer to the first flight of the actual VSR700 prototype in 2018. A light military rotary-wing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle, the VSR700 is being developed jointly by
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Anzac has recently completed MRH90 trials off the east coast of Australia enhancing multi-role helicopter support to the navy fleet. In a joint activity conducted during the months of May and June, HMAS Anzac embarked an MRH90 flight from 808 Squadron for a trial d
The Indian Navy awarded Boeing a three-year contract earlier this month to continue support of the Indian Navy’s fleet of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. In addition to field and logistics service representatives, the contract includes engineering, support and planning. The scope will also include ro
The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and her accompanying ships USS McCampbell (DDG 85), USS Shiloh (CG 67) and USS Barry (DDG 52) arrived in Singapore for a port visit. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), with the embarked Carrier Ai
The U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, future USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), is set to be commissioned during a ceremony that will be held at Naval Station Norfolk on July 22. CVN 78 is the first new U.S. aircraft carrier design in 40 years. Despite of challenges presented by integrating a multitude
Air New Zealand announced on June 20 that its Gas Turbines unit won four contracts worth up to USD$42 million to service U.S. Navy ship engines. The contracts will see the company service and overhaul General Electric LM2500 Gas Turbines that power much of the US Navy’s fleet over the next few years
Ships from the U.S. Navy’s America amphibious ready group (ARG) and the 15th marine expeditionary unit (MEU) recently completed their 17-day certification exercise (CERTEX), qualifying them for their upcoming Western Pacific deployment, June 16. The America ARG is comprised of the amphibious assault
The U.S. Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $3 billion contract for the detail design and construction of the amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8). Ingalls was awarded the original long-lead material contract for the third ship in the America (LHA 6) class on June 30, 2016. Con
Taking place at sea, in the air and on land, this year’s edition of exercise Talisman Sabre will see 30,000 Australian and U.S. personnel training together for mid- to high-intensity warfare. Joined by smaller numbers of personnel from New Zealand, Japan and Canada the drill will kick off at the end
Shipbuilder Navantia held a steel-cutting ceremony on Monday to officially start the construction of the Royal Australian Navy’s auxiliary oiler and replenishment ships (AORs). The ceremony follows the successful completion of the critical design review. Navantia was awarded the contract to construc
The U.S. and Philippine navies started the joint maritime training activity Sama Sama in the vicinity of Cebu, Philippines, on June 19. The week-long exercise will focus on mutual security concerns that affect the Philippines including piracy and sea smuggling, maritime domain awareness and patrol,
Some 50 ships from 14 nations concluded this year’s edition of BALTOPS 2017, the largest NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea, entering Kiel, Germany on Friday. The U.S.-led drill saw participants hone their skills in air, surface, sub-surface, mine warfare and amphibious operations in the Baltic Sea. “E
German Navy’s combat support ship EGV Frankfurt am Main on Wednesday arrived in Kiel where it will be repaired by German Navy Yards. The shipbuilder will be working on damages Frankfurt am Main sustained entering the Wilhelmshaven navy base late in the evening on March 16. The combat support ship wa
Issues with oxygen systems on the U.S. Navy’s T-45 and F/A-18 aircraft causing physiological episodes (PEs) within naval aviation are yet to resolved, a navy review into the problem revealed. U.S. Navy student pilots have not been allowed to fly since March this year, following an increase in cases
