Frigates, destroyers and an aircraft carrier from four nations are currently underway in the Persian Gulf as part of the annual, multinational exercise Intrepid Sentinel 2019. The multilateral exercise is designed to increase capability and interoperability between the four nations. According to pho
Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll (F231) joined the US Navy’s Arleigh-Burke guided missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) for joint operations in the South China Sea between January 11 and 16. At sea, McCampbell and Argyll conducted communication drills, division tactics, and a personnel exch
US defense contractor Raytheon announced it has signed an agreement with Kentucky-based Phoenix Products, Inc. (PPI) for the production of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The two sides signed a contract under the US Department of Defense’s Mentor-Protégé program and will see PPI produce NSM transpor
Lockheed Martin announced it has received a $172 million contract from the US Navy and Air Force for Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) production. The contract continues the production for the air-launched variant of LRASM, including a full production run of missiles and engineering support. This
Swedish defense contractor announced it has been contracted to deliver its TactiCall communication system for the three new Norwegian Coast Guard vessels. The company said it entered an agreement with Vard Group AS, the main contractor on the Norwegian Coast Guard project P6615, to take on the commu
China’s ministry of foreign affairs has voiced its opposition to foreign countries supporting the development of Taiwan’s indigenous submarine program. Speaking at a press conference on January 14, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China “firmly opposes arms sales to Taiwan by any coun
Royal Navy survey ship HMS Protector broke through nearly 300 miles of Antarctic ice to help scientists begin a five-year mission to understand how West Antarctica is contributing to global sea-level rise. Working together with British Antarctic Survey’s vessel RRS Ernest Shackleton, the Plymouth-ba
The US Navy and Australian Air Force kicked off the annual anti-submarine warfare exercise Sea Dragon on January 14. The multilateral exercise is based out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, with this year’s event running until Jan. 25. Participating US units will include Patrol Squadron (VP) 47, VP-
US Navy ships from the Wasp amphibious ready group (ARG) met up with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) amphibious transport dock ship, JS Kunisaki (LST 4003), for two days of exercises on January 11 and 12. During the cooperative deployment, ARG ships and JS Kunisaki conducted communication
USS Wichita (LCS 13), the US Navy’s seventh Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, was brought to life during a commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Mayport on January 12. “The LCS, like your favorite mobile device, offers more portability and maneuverability, while being much less conspicuous,” s
US shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 11 to commission its new panel line, which expands steel production capabilities for the construction of commercial and government ships in San Diego. The new panel line enables distortion-free welding of plates as thin
Shipbuilder Austal USA has received a $21 million contract from the US Department of Defense for support activities on the littoral combat ship (LCS) program. Austal will be the prime contractor for undertaking a dry docking of LCS 14 to carry out various support and sustainment activities. This awa
The Indian Navy announced it has successfully tested the Sahayak air-droppable containers, deploying them from IL-38 aircraft off Goa in the Arabian Sea on January 8, 2019. Sahayak Containers will enhance the operational logistics capability of the navy, allowing it to supply spares and stores to sh
French missile systems specialist MBDA announced they tested the Mistral missile against fast boats such as fast inshore attack craft in a demonstration in front of a number of foreign delegations. The firing was performed from a SIMBAD-RC automated naval turret firing from the land against a fast m
