Amphibious & Support Ships
Royal Navy’s final Astute submarine ‘Agincourt’ affiliates with city of Torbay
The Royal Navy has announced that its seventh and final Astute-class submarine HMS Agincourt will be affiliated with the city of Torbay whose residents farewelled the namesake Trafalgar-class submarine HMS Torbay as it bowed out of service a year ago. HMS Agincourt will be affiliated with the Devon
Second Tide-class tanker RFA Tiderace enters service
The Royal Navy has commissioned its second Tide-class tanker RFA Tiderace in a dedication ceremony in Portland. In a half-hour ceremony, attended by the 39,000-tonne ship’s sponsor, Lady Anita Lister, the head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Commodore Duncan Lamb and crew, RFA Chaplain the Rev Mike Hil
Denmark receives final two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters
Denmark’s defense department has received the final two of overall nine MH-60R Seahawk helicopters delivered by Sikorsky Aircraft under a $686 million contract. The aircraft arrived at the Royal Danish Air Force base Karup on August 1 aboard an American C17 aircraft. MH-60R Seahawks will be flown by
Saab to deliver RBS15 Mk3 anti ship missiles for new German corvettes
Swedish defense contractor Saab announced it has received an order from Germany’s Diehl Defence to deliver its RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile system for the five new K130 corvettes. Saab said the order is worth approximately 160 million Swedish Krona ($18.1 million) with several priced options related
Operation Sophia welcomes new flagship
Italian Navy amphibious ship ITS San Marco has become a flagship of the EUNAVFOR Med operation Sophia Task Force. San Marco has replaced landing platform dock (LPD) San Giusto which completed six months of deployment in the operation, from February 1 to August 1, 2018. This was the vessel’s second i
US destroyer USS Porter wraps up European patrol
US Navy destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) returned to its Spain homeport on July 27, completing its fifth forward deployed naval forces (FDNF) patrol. Porter departed Naval Station Rota on April 2, to conduct naval operations in the US 6th Fleet area of operations, interacting with 20 countries in the p
Mine warfare drill Noble Melinda concludes in Israel
The Israeli Navy recently hosted explosive ordnance disposal divers from the navies of the US and France for mine countermeasure exercise Noble Melinda 2018. The exercise focused on enhancing cooperation and regional maritime security by sharing tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) and fosterin
Fincantieri starts construction of first Doha-class corvette for Qatari Navy
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has marked the official start of construction of the first Doha-class corvette for the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces. The steel cutting ceremony for the vessel took place on Monday at the Muggiano (La Spezia) yard, in the presence of the Qatari defense minister, His Excell
Italian AV-8B Harrier lands aboard USS Iwo Jima for maintenance in North Carolina
US Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) has embarked an Italian AV-8B Harrier jet as it sails home from a deployment to Europe and Middle East. The jet and its crew landed on July 18 and will later cross the Atlantic Ocean with the sailors and marines aboard the Iwo Jima. [
Royal Navy frigate joins Combined Task Force 150 in Red Sea
Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll joined the international Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) during a recent visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Currently under command of Royal Navy Commodore Steve Moorhouse, CTF 150 is part of the 32-nation Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), is responsible for disrupting the
French Navy commissions second offshore support vessel ‘Rhone’
The French Navy commissioned its second Loire-class offshore support and assistance multipurpose vessel – BSAH Rhone – in a ceremony on July 6. Rhone entered service after being launched by the Kership joint venture in Concarneau, north-western France, in November 2017, and completing all trials off
Spanish Navy deploys LPD Castilla to counter-piracy operation Atalanta
Spanish Navy’s Galicia-class landing platform dock ESPS Castilla got underway from her homeport at Rota Naval Base on July 19 to join the counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the Horn of Africa. ESPS Castilla will operate two SH-60 helicopters from the 10th aircraft squadron during the deployment a
UK MoD suspends Type 31 frigate program
The UK defense ministry’s project of acquiring “low-cost” Type 31 frigates has been brought to a halt due to what the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) office described as a lack of “compliant bids”. The process is now being streamlined, according to a IHS Jane’s report, and will be restarted in
BNS Godetia becomes NATO SNMCMG1 flagship
Belgian Navy command and support ship BNS Godetia assumed the role of NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) flagship on July 22, taking over from Dutch submarine support ship HNLMS Mercuur (A900). Despite having 780,000 nautical miles on the clock, Godetia brings a wealth of capabilit