Amphibious & Support Ships
Sea Breeze 2017 highlights maritime operations center importance
Improving maritime operations center processes which represent the essential decision-making capability of an exercise has been one of the main priorities of the Ukranian-hosted Black Sea drill Sea Breeze 2017. Ukrainians and their international partners are working deliberately to increase the comb
ECA Group secures French Navy PAP demining ROV contract
The French Ministry of Armed Forces has awarded ECA Group a new five-year contract for the supply of consumables for the French Navy’s PAP demining remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). According to the company, the contract will amount to over €4 million up to a maximum of €8 million depending on util
Fincantieri cuts steel for Italian Navy landing helicopter dock
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri held a steel cutting ceremony for the Italian Navy’s multipurpose amphibious unit (LHD or Landing Helicopter Dock) at its Castellammare di Stabia shipyard on July 12. The approx. 200 meters long LHD will have a maximum speed of 25 knots and will be equipped with a com
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose returns to sea after two-year refit
HMS Montrose, the latest Royal Navy frigate to complete her modernization in Devonport, set sail on July 7 for the first time in almost three years. The Type 23 frigate began her refit in 2014 and the opportunity was seized to fit her with the newly developed Sea Ceptor missile system. Sea Ceptor an
NATO eyes dispatching warships to German naval base Warnemünde
NATO is eyeing the German naval station Warnemünde as logistical support for ships assigned to its maritime task groups, German media are reporting. According to the Ostsee-Zeitung which received a confirmation from the German defense ministry, Germany had earlier offered NATO to share the base in R
Ukraine hosts 17 nations for Black Sea drill Sea Breeze
Defense forces from 17 countries are attending the multinational Black Sea exercise Sea Breeze which is taking place from July 10 to 22, in Ukraine. The exercise is co-hosted by the U.S. and Ukraine and will involve air, land, sea, and amphibious forces. The annual recurring multinational exercise i
Sweden orders additional 18 CB90-class fast assault craft
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has ordered additional 18 CB90-class fast assault craft from Swedish boat builder Dockstavarvet under a SEK 400 million (approx. US$47.3m) contract. The new combat boats, referred to as Stridsbåt 90HSM (M standing for modernized), will be an improved
Anti-submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose concludes in North Atlantic
NATO’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2017 concluded in the North Atlantic Ocean on July 6. Led by NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, the exercise gathered units from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. Th
New Russian Navy’s corvette conducts landing tests
Russian Navy’s advanced Project 20380 corvette, the Sovershenny, has taken the Ka-27 helicopter aboard during the recent official tests, according to TASS. The Ka-27 antisubmarine search and rescue helicopter landed over 20 times on the corvette during the day and night while the corvette was in mot
Multi-billion deal: Royal Navy orders three new Type 26 frigates
The first of the Royal Navy’s next-generation frigates will be laid down before the month is out after a £3.7 billion order was placed for three Type 26s. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon yesterday announced the contract with BAE Systems to deliver the first batch of global combat ships. They wi
UK deploys two warships on NATO missions
The Royal Navy is sending two warships to NATO missions in the Mediterranean Sea, UK’s defense secretary Michael Fallon confirmed at the NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday. Multi-role survey ship HMS Enterprise is already underway and is set to join the Standing NATO Mine Counter
USS Porter completes maintenance in Spain
U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) on June 16 became the U.S. Navy ship to complete a 60-day Surface Incremental Availability (SIA) at the Rota naval base in Spain. Porter serves as one of the navy’s four forward deployed guided-missile destroyers home-ported in Rota, Spain t
Hensoldt to take over Kelvin Hughes
German defense contractor and sensor manufacturer Hensoldt is to acquire UK radar specialist Kelvin Hughes after owner ECI Partners agreed to sell its investment in the company. The announcement follows Hensoldt’s acquisition of EuroAvionics in May this year. Hensoldt is a new company, spun off from
BAE Systems, Leonardo join forces for new precision-guided munitions
BAE Systems and Leonardo are teaming up for the development of new precision-guided munitions for advanced, large caliber weapon systems. The companies are expecting to offer new adaptations of Leonardo’s Vulcano — a family of gun-launched munitions that exceed the performance of currently available