Amphibious & Support Ships
HMS Ocean returns to Plymouth with 203-meter decommissioning pennant
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean on Friday returned to Devonport Naval Base for the final time as a commissioned Royal Navy ship. The flagship entered Plymouth welcomed by well-wishers and flanked by landing craft and tugs firing water hoses high into the air. The amphibious helicopter and co
Amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima deploys to Europe and Middle East
US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) got underway from Naval Station Mayport, Florida, on February 7 to lead a three-ship group on a deployment to Europe and Middle East. With more than 2,500 sailors and marines aboard, USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) will spend the next six months as the lea
Keel laid for Turkish landing helicopter dock TCG Anadolu
Turkish shipbuilder Sedef has held a keel-laying ceremony for the Turkish Navy amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu at its shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul. Once commissioned, the landing helicopter dock will be the first of its kind in the Turkish Navy. It is designed by Navantia and based on the Spanish
Polish rescue vessel ORP Piast getting sonar, DP system upgrades
The Polish Navy recently awarded Teledyne RESON a contract to deliver a multibeam system for its rescue vessel ORP Piast. The company announced on February 8 that the SeaBat T50-R multibeam sonar system was delivered and is currently being installed in the hull of the rescue vessel at the Nauta Ship
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose flexes guns on Norwegian range
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose recently visited the NATO weapon and sensor range at Stavanger, in southern Norway, for a week of weapons and sensors checks. The ship arrived for a weekend alongside in Stavanger and after a day of harbour checks, went to sea on the test range for 3 days, w
Thales to work on French Navy’s future ballistic missile submarine sonar tech
French defense and technology company Thales announced it was awarded a 42-month contract from the French defense procurement agency (DGA) to carry out a set of studies and technological developments in support of a sonar system that will equip the third-generation of the French nuclear-powered ball
HMS Albion sets sail for NATO deployment
HMS Albion, the Royal Navy’s recently refurbished amphibious assault ship, deployed on Tuesday to become flagsip of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). The ship sailed from Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth and will operate in the Mediterranean for five months. Captain Tim Neild, HMS Albion com
Finland seeks Harpoon, ESSM missiles for new corvettes, missile boat upgrades
Finland is looking to acquire a total of $730 million worth of US-built missiles for its future multi-role corvettes and for the upgrade of its Hamina-class missile boats. The US State Department approved the possible sale on Monday, which, if realized, would be the first time Finland has bought eit
Royal Netherlands Navy getting Safran navigation for Walrus submarines
Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has contracted Safran to deliver its Sigma 40 inertial navigation units and the associated computers to modernize the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Walrus-class submarines. “We chose Safran Electronics & Defense because we have great confidence in their long expe
HMS Queen Elizabeth gets underway for rotary wing trials
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth welcomed Chinook helicopters on board for the first time as she got underway from Portsmouth for her next round of trials. HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed from Portsmouth on February 2 for the first time since being officially commissioned into the Royal
HMS Ocean on farewell visit to Portsmouth
The soon-to-be-decommissioned Royal Navy fleet flagship HMS Ocean arrived at Portsmouth Naval Base on February 2 on a farewell visit. The helicopter carrier and assault ship arrived just after dawn to pay a visit to the city before returning to her homeport of Devonport, Plymouth for the final time
Royal Navy amphibious assault ship HMS Albion deploying for first time in seven years
After spending four years in mothballs and another two undergoing a £90m refit, the Royal Navy’s amphibious assault ship HMS Albion is deploying early next week to become the flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2. “It is a huge privilege for us to fly the flag of the NATO task group commander
Royal Navy’s new small survey vessel will be called HMS Magpie
A new Royal Navy small survey vessel that will replace the recently decommissioned HMSML Gleaner will be named HMS Magpie, Royal Navy First Sea Lord Admiral Philip Jones announced. The last HMS Magpie was commanded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in Malta in the early 1950s. Motor Survey launch Magpie
Italian amphibious ship ITS San Giusto becomes new operation Sophia flagship
Italian Navy amphibious ship ITS San Giusto took over as flagship of the EU NAVFOR operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea relieving auxiliary ship ITS Etna. Etna left the mission after almost two months of operations fighting human trafficking and smuggling networks. During her time deployed to t