Amphibious & Support Ships
NATO mine countermeasures group changes hands
NATO’s Standing Mine Counter Measures Group One (SNMCMG1) will be led by a Latvian Navy commander following a change of command ceremony at the Port of Riga on Thursday. Commander Johan-Elias Seljamaa of the Estonian Navy turned over command of the group after leading aboard the flagship, Estonian c
Royal Navy air crew helps rescue sunken tanker crew in Indian Ocean
The crew of a Royal Navy helicopter rescued the last survivor of a tanker which sank in the Indian Ocean on June 26. The Wildcat helicopter from the Royal Navy frigate HMS Monmouth rescued the 13th survivor from tanker Rama 2 which sank 140 miles off the island of Socotra in the Gulf of Yemen. The [
French DCNS changes name to Naval Group
French state-owned shipbuilder DCNS announced on Wednesday it was changing its name to Naval Group, for better “exposure and credibility in international markets”. “The creation of a strong, unifying brand, that embodies both our heritage and our expertise will enable us to meet two major objectives
NATO submarine drill Dynamic Mongoose starts in Iceland
Dynamic Mongoose 2017, a NATO-led submarine surveillance exercise, began on Tuesday off the coast of Iceland. Ships, submarines, aircraft and personnel from 10 allied nations gathered in the North Atlantic Ocean for anti-submarine and anti-surface training. Submarines from France, Germany, the Nethe
Former German minehunter turned diver support vessel wraps up NATO deployment
FGS Rottweil, German Navy’s former Frankenthal-class minehunter which now serves as a diver support vessel, wrapped up her deployment to NATO’s Standing Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG 2) and is on her way home. Rottweil is expected to enter her homeport at navy base Kiel on June 30 after five
Italy hosts Algerian Navy for bilateral exercise Medex
The Italian Navy hosted its Algerian counterpart in the Italian port of Augusta for the bilateral exercise Medex-17. Medex consisted of a harbor and an at sea phase, taking place between June 12 and 16. Now in its ninth edition, the exercise is part of the 5 + 5 defense initiative aimed at enhancing
Spanish frigate wraps up four months of Aegis training with Australian Navy
Spanish Navy’s F-105 frigate ESPS Cristóbal Colón is on her way home after she spent the last four months stationed in Australia helping Royal Australian Navy sailors get acquainted with the Aegis combat system. During her time embedded with the Royal Australian Navy fleet she welcomed more than 200
Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER completes French Navy qualification flights
Austrian unmanned aerial system (UAS) manufacturer Schiebel announced its CAMCOPTER® S-100 UAS completed qualification flights for the French Navy from 29 May to 3 June 2017. The flight trials were performed from the deck of the Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement (BPC) Dixmude, the newest of
Belgian Navy picks SeeByte for unmanned systems software delivery
The Belgian Navy has selected Batelle’s SeeByte to deliver its software and personnel training for the operation of unmanned maritime systems. The company’s SeeTrack software package will be integrated onto the Belgian AUV fleet which will be deployed for mine counter measures (MCM). The announcemen
Airbus starts autonomous flights of VSR700 Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV)
Starting autonomous flight trials of its VSR700 Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) demonstrator, Airbus Helicopters has come a step closer to the first flight of the actual VSR700 prototype in 2018. A light military rotary-wing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle, the VSR700 is being developed jointly by
BALTOPS 2017 concludes
Some 50 ships from 14 nations concluded this year’s edition of BALTOPS 2017, the largest NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea, entering Kiel, Germany on Friday. The U.S.-led drill saw participants hone their skills in air, surface, sub-surface, mine warfare and amphibious operations in the Baltic Sea. “E
German Naval Yards to repair damaged combat support ship Frankfurt am Main
German Navy’s combat support ship EGV Frankfurt am Main on Wednesday arrived in Kiel where it will be repaired by German Navy Yards. The shipbuilder will be working on damages Frankfurt am Main sustained entering the Wilhelmshaven navy base late in the evening on March 16. The combat support ship wa
Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth gets “official tug”
SD Tempest, a tug operated by Serco, will become the “official tug” of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth once she arrives at Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth this year. SD Tempest, named in late May, has been specifically procured to support the arrival of HMS Queen
Royal Navy amphibious transport dock HMS Albion returning to sea
Royal Navy amphibious transport dock HMS Albion is scheduled to sail from Devonport Naval Base at the end of the week after spending almost six years tied to port in “extended readiness”. In late 2011 the ship was placed at extended readiness, following the decision by the UK Government in the Strat