Amphibious & Support Ships
French Jeanne D’Arc task group returns from five-month Asia-Pacific deployment
Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Dixmude and La Fayette-class frigate FS Surcouf wrapped up the French Navy’s annual Jeanne D’Arc mission returning to naval base Toulon on July 19. The two ships got underway in late February and sailed a total of 26,500 nautical miles over a period of 145 days.
Canadian frigate HMCS St. John’s returns from SNMG1 deployment
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St. John’s returned to her homeport in Halifax on July 23 after spending six months deployed to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). Joining SNMG1 on January 18, 2018, the frigate contributed to NATO operations as part of the Canadian operation Reassurance. Duri
Royal Navy survey ship HMS Enterprise returns from year-long NATO deployment
Enterprise spent the year as flagship of SNMCMG2
Fire breaks out aboard under-construction Italian Navy support ship Vulcano
A fire broke out late Sunday aboard the logistic support ship Vulcano which is under construction at Fincantieri’s Mugiano shipyard in La Spezia. According to Italian media reports, the fire broke out around 22:30, local time, and originated in the ship’s engine room. The Italian National Firefighte
Norwegian composites manufacturer lands Type 26 frigate contract
Umoe Mandal has been awarded a contract for three shipsets of composite mast and SCOT Sponsons structures for the UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 Global Combat Ships, designed and manufactured by BAE Systems. The Norwegian company has been selected as the preferred supplier of critical ship structures among
Germany’s NH90 Sea Lion starts qualification flights ahead of 2019 delivery
The NH90 Sea Lion helicopters Airbus is constructing for the German Navy entered the qualification phase as the second prototype helicopter performed its first flight in serial configuration on July 10. The event marked the beginning of the helicopter’s qualification phase which will be undertaken t
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan returns from NATO tasking in the Med
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan returned to her homeport in Portsmouth after six months of operations as flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). During her time at the helm of SNMG2, Duncan led an international group of frigates, destroyers and patrol ships on operations in the
Turkish Navy orders new replenishment ship
The Turkish Navy will be receiving a new replenishment vessel under a contract announced by Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) on July 12. The vessel will be built by Sefine Shipyard with design and engineering services provided by Istanbul-based SEFT Ship Design. Financial detai
Danish support ship HDMS Esbern Snare becomes new SNMG1 flagship
Royal Danish Navy support ship HDMS Esbern Snare became the new flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), taking over from fellow Danish warship HDMS Niels Juel. The change of command ceremony took place in Frederikshavn, Denmark, on July 10 and further saw Commodore Carsten Fjord-Larsen
19-nation Black Sea drill Sea Breeze 2018 kicks off
The Ukraine-hosted and US Navy-led international exercise Sea Breeze kicked off in Odessa, Ukraine, on July 9. According to the Ukrainian defense ministry, a total of 19 nations are taking part in the drill which is aimed at enhancing interoperability among participating nations and strengthen regio
US Navy destroyer, command ship arrive in Ukraine for exercise Sea Breeze
US Navy destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) and command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Ukraine ahead of the start of exercise Sea Breeze 2018. Only USS Porter pulled into the Ukrainian port city of Odessa prior to the exercise. The two ships entered the Black Sea on July 6 and July
Anti-submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose concludes
The NATO-led anti submarine warfare (ASW) exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2018 concluded off the coast of Norway on July 6. Ships, submarines, aircraft and personnel from 8 allied nations converged on the North Atlantic Ocean while host nation Norway provided support from the Harstad and Narvik harbors as
Turkey to build four corvettes for Pakistan Navy
Pakistan has entered into an agreement with Turkey for the construction of four MILGEM corvettes, Turkey’s defense minister Nurettin Canikli told reporters in Montenegro on Thursday. According to Turkish media reports, Turkey will be building the corvettes in what the defense minister described as t
Belgian Navy tests Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 UAS
The Belgian Navy recently tested the maritime surveillance capabilities of Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 unmanned air system (UAS) in the naval port of Zeebrugge and in a land-based setting in Lombardsijde. The trials lasted from June 21 to July 1 and were aimed at developing a successful concept of op