The U.S. Navy christened its ninth expeditionary fast transport vessel, USNS City of Bismarck, during a ceremony at Austal’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard, on May 14. USNS City of Bismarck is the ninth of overall 12 EPF vessels Austal is contracted to build for the U.S. Navy. Austal USA has delivered eig
Australian minister for defense industry announced on Monday that the final Nulka anti-ship missile decoy to be produced under a contract with BAE Systems Australia has been delivered. Christopher Pyne said the Nulka, a joint Australian/United States development program, began from an original conce
The French Navy-led amphibious drill taking place off Guam was postponed after a French Navy landing craft ran aground during an evolution, AP reported. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Joint Region Marianas Chief of Staff Capt. Jeff Grimes said he could not say when the drill would resume. Named Je
The Finnish Navy is set to hold a fleet-wide exercise in the Gulf of Finland from May 22 to June 1. Named MTH-17 Lyydia, the exercise is arranged annually by the Finnish Navy for its naval and coastal units. Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, Rauma- and Hamina-class fast attack missile craft and Katanpää-c
Royal Australia Navy frigate HMAS Arunta seized some 250 kilograms of heroin from a vessel off the coast of Africa. The interdiction took place on May 10 in the waters of the Indian Ocean. This is also Arunta’s second narcotic interdiction since she joined counter-terrorism operations in December la
Ships from the U.S. Navy’s Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group are returning home from a seven-month deployment to the Pacific, Middle East, and the Horn of Africa. The group is scheduled to return to Naval Base San Diego on May 15. Comprised of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8),
Pakistan is acquiring four Turkish Project MILGEM corvettes while Turkey is buying 52 Pakistani Super Mushshak training planes under agreements signed during the 2017 IDEF defence exhibition in Istanbul, on May 10. Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited (KSEW) from Pakistan, signed a letter of
One of U.S. Coast Guard’s most famous vessels, the “Perfect Storm” cutter Tamaroa, will now have a new role after being sunk off Cape May on Wednesday. The ship is to become part of an artificial reef located 26 nautical miles southeast of Cape May and comprised of old military ships that is enhanci
Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo took a brief break from Mediterranean Sea operations to represent Great Britain in Monaco. Home to the world’s most famous casino and grand prix, the tiny nation (two square kilometres – smaller than Echo’s home base of Devonport) is also the seat of the International
U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) is scheduled to visit Juneau, Alaska, after the biennial exercise Northern Edge concludes. O’Kane will arrive in Juneau on May 13 and the crew will have opportunities to participate in community service projects and sporting events. USS Juneau
U.S. and Royal Moroccan Navy vessels took part in cooperation exercises in Moroccan waters on May 5. Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) conducted maritime interdiction operations (MIO) and small boat defense procedures with Moroccan patrol vessel P306 RMNS Commandant El
The Canadian Navy should acquire 12 new submarines with air independent propulsion, members of the Canadian standing senate defense committee recommended in their report released on Monday. Titled ‘Reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces: A plan for the future’, the report suggests that the defense
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri laid the keel for the Italian Navy’s first Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA) on May 9. The ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano, La Spezia. According to Fincantieri, the first of seven offshore patrol ships will be delivered in 2021. The PPA
Denmark is sending a Bombardier Challenger 604 maritime patrol aircraft to support the monitoring of shipping traffic in the Indian Ocean, the country’s ministry of foreign affairs announced on May 5. It was further said that Denmark would make a Challenger airplane available for the Mediterranean e
