The annual disaster response preparedness exercise Pacific Partnership began March 4 as US Military Sealift Command (MSC) expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Brunswick (T-EPF 6) got underway from Naval Base Guam to start the mission in Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership is the largest annual, mult
The US Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $240 million indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity design-build multiple award construction contract (IDIQ-MACC) for the construction of littoral combat ship training facilities. The first of five contracts, valued at at $24.
A fire broke out recently aboard the US Coast Guard’s heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star, the Coast Guard has informed. According to the service, the fire broke out in the ship’s incinerator room about 650 miles north of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, on February 10. The 150-member crew of the cutter spe
The US Navy’s carrier-based, fifth generation fighter has achieved initial operational capability, the Commander, Naval Air Forces and the US Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation jointly announced. The aircraft carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, met all requi
Austal USA has held a metal cutting ceremony on the US Navy’s Independence-class littoral combat ship Canberra (LCS 30). Austal LCS Program Director Dave Growden had the honor of starting the router to cut the first piece of aluminium, signaling the start of construction. The LCS is a 127m frigate-s
Marine propulsion specialist Fairbanks Morse announced it has been awarded a contract to build and deliver emergency diesel generator (EDG) sets for US Navy’s two future nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the USS Enterprise (CVN-80) and the yet-to-be-named CVN-81. These ships will be the US Navy’s t
The US Senate has approved $655 million dedicated to the design and construction of a new heavy polar security cutter in an appropriations package last week. Also included in the funding are $20 million to acquire long lead-time materials for a second polar security cutter, and $400 million for offs
The Brazilian Navy has ordered three H135 light twinengine helicopters to be operated by the 1st General Purpose Helicopter Squadron (HU-1). According to Airbus, the aircraft is being procured for special operations, transport of troops and freight, naval inspection, search and rescue and medical ev
The US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded VT Halter Marine a $39.8 million contract for the construction of additional units of the new class of barracks ships, the Auxiliary Personnel Lighter – Small (APL(S)). VT Halter Marine received a $77.9 million contract in September 2018 to design and bui
The Finnish defense ministry on February 21 announced it is buying Raytheon’s Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) systems for its Pohjanmaa-class corvettes of the Squadron 2020 project. The surface-to-air missile system (ITO20) will be installed on all four ships in the class. The exact number of miss
Ships from the US Navy’s Essex amphibious ready group (ARG) assembled around Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) paid a two-day visit to Pearl Harbor on February 18. Transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23), amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47), USS Essex and the emb
US Navy fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) and Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose (F236) met up in the South China Sea on February 18 for a series of maritime security and logistics training. The drills involved Royal Marine commandos, Royal Navy sailors and Guadalupe crew members. Dur
The 38th iteration of multi-lateral exercise Cobra Gold kicked off with an opening ceremony at the Akathotsarot Camp, Phitsanulok Province, on February 12. Representatives of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and US Indo-Pacific Command were joined by the ambassadors of Japan and the Republic of Korea and
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain, for a scheduled training and maintenance availability (TRAV) on February 13. The maintenance is being conducted after the ship completed a patrol in the US 6th Fleet Area of Operations.
