The Royal Navy has recently tested its first autonomous minesweeping system in Dorset, South West England, evaluating its performance against modern mines. Autonomous motor boat Hussar can be sent off on missions, using a series of small, hi-tech boats trailed behind it to detonate the latest underw
The Royal Navy and Air Force welcomed their first F-35B Lightning II fighter jets as they landed at RAF Marham in Norfolk on June 6. The aircraft arrived in the UK following a one-day delay caused by adverse weather conditions over the Atlantic which complicated the necessary aerial refueling proced
US Navy pilots from Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1), embarked aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), are training with the Italian Air Force in integrated flight operations taking place from May 28 to June 7. The exercise features F/A-18s from CVW-1’s four fighter squadrons, which integrated with Italian
The Royal Navy has reportedly informed the Brazilian Navy that it is preparing to sell one of its two Wave-class tankers in 2019. According to the Brazilian website Poder Naval, this is the second time the Brazilian Navy has received a notice from the UK about the potential sale of one of the two ta
French and UK defense contractors Thales and BAE Systems have teamed up with Canadian consulting company CGI for the second phase of the Royal Navy’s Maritime Electronic Warfare Programme (MEWP). MEWP is a UK defense ministry procurement program that aims to provide upgraded electronic warfare capab
Royal Navy landing ship RFA Lyme Bay on June 1 joined the French helicopter carrier BPC Tonnerre in the French port city of La Rochelle, in the Bay of Biscay, to embark an expeditionary force for the amphibious exercise Catamaran 2018. In addition to the two countries’ navy and marine forces, the ex
Some 37 ships from 16 states arrived in the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda on May 31 ahead of the start of international exercise BALTOPS 2018, the Lithuanian Navy said. The US Navy says the number of participating countries and ships is higher with a total of 22 nations, 60 aircraft, 42 ships, an
A Babcock-led industry team has officially unveiled the Arrowhead 140 concept as their design for the UK defense ministry’s Type 31e general purpose light frigate program. Babcock, Thales, OMT, BMT, Harland and Wolff and Ferguson Marine are all part of the team bidding for the UK MoD’s £1.25 billion
Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Victoria pulled into the Haifa port on May 25 for her first ever visit to Israel. The 31-year-old Santa Maria-class frigate arrived in Haifa together with Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan for a weekend port call. The two ships are currently deployed to NATO’s Standin
The first of two high-speed multi-purpose vessels for the Italian Navy’s special forces – the Operational Raiders Group – was launched on May 26. The vessel was launched by Italian shipbuilder Intermarine SpA at its Messina shipyard. The ceremony was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Italian Nav
The Royal Navy has taken delivery of the first upgraded Commando Merlin Mk4 which has been designed for Royal Marine aircraft carrier operations. The helicopters are being upgraded to a faster and more powerful aircraft than their predecessors. With a new maritime grey coat, a folding main rotor and
A new anti-air missile system designed to protect the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers as well as other ships in the fleet has been declared operational, the UK defense ministry has announced. Developed at a cost of about £850m (approx. US$1.1b), the Sea Ceptor is the Royal Navy’s new short-range
The UK defense ministry’s program for the development of a new class of nuclear missile submarines and Trident nuclear program renewal is facing a £2.9b “affordability gap”, a review by spending watchdog National Audit Office (NAO) has found. This is in addition to the pressure faced by the defense
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) met with Turkish Navy units in the Aegean Sea as they wrapped up 20 days of operations in the Black Sea. Led by the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, SNMG2 ships rendezvoused with Turkish fast patrol boats TCG Mızrak and TCG Volkan after
