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
Naval aviators from four squadrons completed carrier qualifications on US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on February 2. During this period, Abraham Lincoln qualified pilots from the “Gladiators” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106, the “Flying Eagles” of Strike Fi
The US Navy commissioned its newest littoral combat ship USS Omaha (LCS 12) during a commissioning ceremony at San Diego’s downtown Broadway Pier, February 3. The new Independence variant littoral combat ship is the navy’s fourth vessel named in honor of the city of Omaha. “It is a great honor and p
The US Navy’s newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Omaha (LCS 12) will enter service in a commissioning ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Broadway pier in San Diego. USS Omaha, designated LCS 12, is the 11th littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the sixth of the Indepe
Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has lifted and mounted a 400-metric ton caisson unit into its new Joint Manufacturing Assembly Facility (JMAF). The company says the fixture will speed up submarine construction. “A fixture of this magnitude allows u
US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) has embarked Marines assigned to 3d Marine Division (MARDIV) at White Beach, Okinawa, ahead of exercise Cobra Gold 2018. Bonhomme Richard embarked 3d MARDIV personnel, vehicles and equipment before continuing a scheduled patrol in which
US Navy ships assigned to the America amphibious ready group are on the final leg of their return home from a seven-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific. The ships are scheduled to enter Naval Station San Diego on February 2 after stopping at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, late January. Dur
The US Navy has awarded BAE Systems two contracts totalling $54.8 million to modernize the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71). Both contracts include options that, if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value of the awards t
Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO laid the keel for the US Navy’s future USNS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) at a ceremony in San Diego on January 30. A keel laying is the formal recognition of the start of a ship’s construction. It is the joining together of a ship’s modular components and the authenticati
US Navy ships assigned to the Carl Vinson carrier strike group arrived in Guam on January 30 and 31 for the first port call of their Western Pacific deployment. The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and guided-missile destroyers USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) and USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) a
Royal Canadian Navy auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) vessel Asterix has entered service after completing sea trials and testing. Asterix performed daily replenishment-at-sea (RAS) exercises with the RCN and conducted extensive RCAF CH-148 Cyclone helicopter operations to prove and demonstrate its
Royal Canadian Navy coastal defense vessels HMCS Summerside and HMCS Kingston got underway from Halifax on January 26, starting a deployment to West Africa. The two Kingston-class ships will foster relationships with partner navies and take part in exercise Obangame Express 2018, in the Gulf of Guin
The Canadian government has awarded Raytheon Canada a CAD$704 million contract for the upkeep and upgrades of close-in weapon systems (CIWS) aboard Royal Canadian Navy ships. The in-service support contract will be valid until late 2037, and comprises an initial 10-year service period with three opt
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Cardigan Bay hosted personnel from the US and Royal Navy for exercise Azraq Serpent 18 (AS18). The five-day exercise started January 14 and was aimed at developing interoperability between the two partners across the medical domain in the US 5th fleet area of operations. T