The U.S. Military Sealift Command’s expeditionary fast transport ship, USNS Trenton (EPF 5) departed the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story on December 20 to begin its first operational deployment. The Spearhead-class vessel, built by Austal in Alabama, was launched in September 2014 a
Scientists and engineers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division have developed a way to change unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) mission information easier and faster. Autonomous systems engineers, Drs. Matthew Bays and Drew Lucas, refer to the system as “Autonomy in a Box.” Autono
The Royal and South African Navies will gather in February next year to commemorate the sinking of South African troopship SS Mendi. After it was rammed in fog off the Isle of Wight on February 21 1917, SS Mendi took 616 South Africans down with her. To mark the 100th anniversary of the tragedy, the
Scientific Management Associates has contracted U.S.-based KBR for support in providing technical training support services to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at HMAS Cerberus, Victoria. Under the terms of the contract, KBR will use their experience in designing and delivering live, virtual and cons
The Finnish Defence Forces announced it is issuing a tender for a battle system that is to be supplied for its new Squadron 2020 ice-going offshore patrol vessels. The department’s logistics command will send requests to 12 domestic and foreign companies to participate in the tendering. After the Fe
The UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) has contracted the maritime services company Ardent for emergency towage off the north and north-western coasts of Scotland. The new ship to be used – the Ievoli Black – is a 70 metre towing vessel of some 2283 gross tonnes and a bollard pull of 139 tonnes
Dutch system integrator Alewijnse Marine said it has opened a new service and maintenance facility in the port of Den Helder to support its activities at the Dutch Royal Naval dockyard and Damen Shipyards Den Helder. The company said this new facility will allow it to deliver its expertise in all ty
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon a $64.6 million contract for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), SeaRAM, and land-based Phalanx weapon system. CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-fly
The U.S. Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $1.46 billion contract to design and build the U.S. Navy’s new amphibious transport dock Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). USS Fort Lauderdale will be the 12th and final ship of the U.S. Navy’s San Antonio-class of amphibious transport ships. Ingalls
U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is preparing to take an extended 40-plus-month break for its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) maintenance period after nearly 25 years of service. Throughout the first 25 years of an aircraft carrier’s life, it goes through
The Royal Canadian Navy has selected Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s as the next RCN ship to deploy on NATO’s operation Reassurance in early 2017. The frigate will support the standing NATO maritime group 2 (SNMG 2) in the Mediterranean Sea contributing to regional security and stability. HMCS
The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) arrived in Marseille, France, on its way home from the counter-ISIL mission. The nuclear-powered carrier arrived in France for a scheduled port visit on December 16. Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group departed Norfol
FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, German Navy’s F123 frigate, is set to return from its Mediterranean Sea deployment on Friday, December 23. The frigate was part of the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia which is aimed at curbing migrant and weapon smuggling activities in the Mediterranean Sea. Mecklenburg-Vor
A U.S. Navy report on its future naval force requirements is in line with U.S. president Donald Trump’s plans of building a 350-plus ship navy. Trump announced the goal of a 350-ship navy during a speech in September when he said his plan was based on a 2014 Pentagon quadrennial review of projected
