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
French Navy’s sole aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle has entered the water again after spending over 14 months in the dry dock as part of her mid-life upgrade. The aircraft carrier was refloated at the Toulon navy base on May 16 after entering the dry dock on February 8, 2017. FS Charles de Gaul
The Peruvian state-owned shipyard SIMA has awarded French defense contractor ECA Group a contract related to the overhaul of the Peruvian Navy’s four Type 209/1200 submarine. As announced by the French company, the contract is for the delivery of 16 units of static converters to be fitted on the ves
The UK defense ministry has issued a tender for the acquisition of Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships which will be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Compared to the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review which confirmed the need for three Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Fleet
Two Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopters have returned home after two weeks of anti submarine warfare drills in the Norwegian Fjords as part of exercise Rogue Wizards 2018. The helicopters were flown by ‘Flying Sailors’ from the Merlin Training Squadron at RNAS Culdrose. 824 NAS is the unit which train
Mine countermeasure ships and personnel from 15 navies gathered in Tallinn, Estonia, for the start of the international Baltic Sea ordnance disposal drill Open Spirit. The exercise kicks off Friday and is joined by ships from NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) among others. Open
Unite, the UK’s largest union representing defence and shipbuilding workers, backed today’s demand by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for the three new Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels to be built in UK shipyards. Government plans to put the £1 billion contract for building the ships out to tender in inter
French defense technology company Thales announced it has started production works on the first Sea Fire radar for the French Navy’s FTI future medium-size frigates. The Sea Fire is fully solid-state multifunction radar with a four-panel phased array antenna. According to the company, it is designed
The German Navy has ordered three Puma maritime unmanned aircraft vehicles from US-based unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer AeroVironment. As announced by ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH, a German system and software company which was chosen as the main contractor for the unmanned aircraft
Russian Navy’s Project 11711 landing ship Ivan Gren has successfully completed sea trials, shipbuilder Yantar said in a statement. As informed, the seaborne part of the trials of the large amphibious assault ship Ivan Gren was completed on May 3. The newbuild was tested in the Baltic Sea. The trials
An autonomous minesweeper system that can safely clear sea lanes of mines has been handed over to the Royal Navy, UK Defence Minister Guto Bebb has announced. Following a period of successful trials, the demonstrator system could go on to be used by the navy in the future to defeat the threat of mod
