Amphibious & Support Ships
Report: UK’s submarine-based nuclear deterrent may be put at risk
The UK’s ability to provide the continuous submarine-based nuclear deterrent will be put at risk if a number of issues are not solved, a new report finds. At times of major international uncertainties, the country’s defense department needs to bridge a £2.9 billion affordability gap, according to th
Sea Guardian special ops unit achieves full operational capability
NATO’s operation Sea Guardian Special Operations Command Control Element (SOCCE) achieved full operational capability last week, NATO’s Maritime Command has announced. On September 20, under Maritime Command (MARCOM) guidance and SOCCE control, an opposed live boarding exercise commenced with the pa
Polish sailors make use of Royal Navy training facilities
Polish Navy sailors assigned to frigate ORP Generał Kazimierz Pułaski recently used facilities at the Royal Navy training establishment HMS Raleigh ahead of their operational sea training. The former Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate is in Plymouth for six weeks of training with Flag Officer Sea Tra
Royal Navy buying Teledyne-built SEAL delivery vehicles
The US State Department has approved the sale of three SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV) MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS) to the United Kingdom. The contract is worth an estimated $90 million and includes spares, handling and test equipment, and program support. According to the statement,
Smuggled cigarettes found on Italian Navy transport ship
Italian Navy transport vessel Nave Caprera was used to smuggle cigarettes on the return trip from Libya where the ship was deployed in support of an EU migrant interdiction mission. The ship reportedly returned to the Italian Navy base Brindisi with over 700 kg of cigarettes on board. This was confi
Rolls-Royce opens F-35B LiftFan production site in UK
A facility for the manufacturing of LiftFan systems for F-35B jets has been ceremonially opened by UK defense minister Stuart Andrew at Rolls-Royce in Bristol today. Production at the site has been building up since 2009, with the official opening now marking the fact that the facility is heading to
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon deploys to Persian Gulf
Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon got underway from her Portsmouth homeport on September 17 after a short, unspecified, delay. Dragon is now headed for the Persian Gulf where it is expected to spend several months an operational deployment. The destroyer is scheduled to work alongside coalition and regio
HMS Diamond wraps up two-month deployment
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond is on her way home after spending two months on operations in the Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. The destroyer has been activated throughout the traditionally busy summer season, as she monitored Russian naval activity twice, visited four ports and helped tra
Royal Navy’s new survey ship Magpie makes her maiden visit to Salcombe
The Royal Navy’s newest survey vessel HMS Magpie has made her maiden visit to her affiliated town of Salcombe. The 18-meter catamaran has spent three days at sea under the White Ensign for the first time as her crew get to know how the survey ship handles. A replacement for HMS Gleaner which retired
EC eyes 10,000-strong European Border and Coast Guard by 2020
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has unveiled a new proposal for the 10,000-strong European Border and Coast Guard to help better protect European borders and tackle migration. The proposal is one of three new initiatives presented in Juncker’s State of the Union Address 2018 on Sep
Moorhouse is 1st sea-going captain of HMS Prince of Wales
Commodore Stephen Moorhouse has taken over command of the Royal Navy’s second aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales which is being built in Scotland. The commodore, stepping up to the helm of one of the two biggest warships built for the Royal Navy, will assume the local rank of captain while in comm
UK, French teams train together for hurricane relief in the Caribbean
Royal Navy’s auxiliary ship RFA Mounts Bay has landed a team of UK military personnel ashore in Martinique, an insular region of France, to train in hurricane relief with their French counterparts. The training comes one year after the devastating impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean
Colombian Navy hosts Unitas LIX exercise
Gathering in Cartagena, Colombian naval forces are taking the helm for Unitas LIX, a multinational maritime exercise taking place from August 31 – September 11. Colombia is hosting eleven navies participating in the exercise — the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, M
UK hands back WWI U-boat propeller to Germany
A World War One U-boat propeller was handed back to the German Navy on August 31 following a joint operation between the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Historic England and North Wales Police. The propeller was formally handed over onboard FGS Bonn, a German replenishment ship which is currently