US Navy mine warfare specialists from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 and their Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) EOD counterparts recently completed mine warfare exercise (MIWEX) 2JA 2019. MIWEX 2JA is an annual bilateral exercise held between the US and Japan to incre
F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp used the GAU-22 cannon against a simulated target and executed the first shipboard hot reload of ordnance in the Indo-Pacific region while underway in the Solomon Sea. The aircraft from Marine Medium Tiltrotor S
German defense contractor Rheinmetall has joined forces with missile maker MBDA to develop, integrate and test a laser demonstrator for the German Navy’s K130 corvette. Laser effector systems are currently being developed for shipboard and naval use by the navies of the US and the UK, for example, a
US Navy’s Spain-based Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) is entering the Black Sea for exercises and engagements with regional allies. The US Navy said the Aegis destroyer started its north-bound transit to the Black Sea on August 8. Porter’s arrival in the Black Sea wi
The US state department has approved the sale of twelve MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to the Republic of Korea. The country earlier seemed poised to acquire 12 Leonardo AW159 Wildcat anti-submarine helicopters but South Korea’s defense procurement agency (DAPA) announced earlier this year it woul
French and Egyptian Navy ships rendezvoused in the Mediterranean Sea for a series of exercises aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two sides. French Cassard-class anti-air frigate Jean Bart and Egyptian frigate Damietta conducted drills in Egyptian Navy’s Northern Mediterranean Fleet area
US Navy’s Japan-based amphibious ships met up with their Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) counterparts for training off Australia. US Navy transport dock USS Green Bay (LPD 20) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) trained with Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH 18
US defense contractor Raytheon has delivered the first next generation jammer mid-band engineering and manufacturing development pod to the US Navy to begin ground and aircraft integration testing. Raytheon will deliver 15 EMD pods for mission systems testing and qualification as well as 14 aeromech
The UK has confirmed its navy ships would join US assets on a new international maritime security mission in the Persian Gulf. The mission will see the Royal Navy working alongside the US Navy to assure the security of merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The push to organize an international m
Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra returned home last week, completing a six-month deployment to Asia. The 230-meter LHD sailed almost 22,000 nautical miles during the deployment, visiting Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia as part of the
The ship was commissioned into Philippine Navy service on August 5.
Royal Navy frigate HMS Westminster escorted a Chinese Type 052C destroyer through the English Channel as it was returning from Russia’s annual Navy Days event in St Petersburg. Fresh from a five-month patrol with NATO in the waters of northern Europe, Portsmouth-based HMS Westminster was activated t
Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra has completed trials to transport an M1A1 main battle tank and large vehicle loads ashore using an LHD landing craft. The tests, carried out with the Australian Army’s 3rd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 3rd Combat Service Support Battali
The Fincantieri Marinette Marine-built Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Billings (LCS 15) is scheduled to enter US Navy service during an August 3 ceremony in Key West, Florida. The ship is named in honor of Billings, the largest city in Montana, as well as the people and military vete
