Amphibious & Support Ships
HMSC St. John’s becomes part of SNMG2
Royal Canadian Navy’s frigate HMCS St. John’s officially became part of NATO’s standing maritime group two on January 11. The frigate is on her way to the Mediterranean Sea where she will represent Canada’s support to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe. HMCS St. Joh
Royal Navy Portsmouth base opens new service family accommodation flats
Three new service family accommodation flats were opened in Portsmouth Naval Base on January 9. The official opening was attended by defence minister Mark Lancaster, naval base commander Commodore Jeremy Rigby and the chief executive of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) Robert Robson.
UK signs £271M deal for Wildcat helicopter support
The UK Ministry of Defense has signed a five-year deal worth £271 million with Leonardo Helicopters to continue support work on the Wildcat helicopters. The MOD hailed the deal as one that would sustain approximately 500 jobs, primarily at Leonardo’s facilities in Yeovil and Royal Naval Air Station
Royal Navy patrol vessel set to return from ‘huge’ deployment
Royal Navy’s River-class patrol vessel HMS Mersey is preparing to return to the UK from what will be a lengthy 13-month deployment. A remarkable achievement considering the fact that the ship has a company of just 52. The patrol vessel left Portsmouth in January 2016, heading for the Caribbean befor
HMS Clyde docks for maintenance
Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Clyde recently entered the dry dock for her fist dry-docking period in five years. The patrol ship has been almost constantly on duty in and around the Falkland Islands since her last overhaul in 2011. Those patrols have taken their toll of the hull and machinery inside,
Sea Kings embark HMS Ocean in preparation for aircraft carrier arrival
Royal Navy’s Sea King Mk7 airborne surveillance and control helicopters have joined HMS Ocean in the Gulf to practise in preparation for Merlin helicopters that will succeed the Sea Kings as the carrier’s ‘flying eyes’. After years over the sands of Afghanistan – where their radars proved vital in t
German tanker Spessart joins NATO’s SNMG1
German Navy’s Rhön-class tanker FGS Spessart will join NATO’s standing maritime group 1 (SNMG1) this month. The 130-meter ship is scheduled to depart its homeport in the naval base Kiel on January 11. The ship is expected to join other SNMG1 units on January 13 in Oslo, Norway. A change of flagship
Royal Navy’s HMS Clyde on two-month break in South Africa
Royal Navy’s River-class patrol vessel HMS Clyde in late December arrived to South Africa on what is scheduled to be a two months long port visit. Clyde reached Simon’s Town on December 23 and will stay there until February 20, 2017. Simon’s town is the home of the South African Navy; it is located
Spanish frigate deploys to Australia for AWD support
Spanish Navy’s Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate Cristóbal Colón is scheduled to embark on a long-term deployment to Australia on January 9. Under an agreement between the two navies, the Aegis-equipped frigate will spend 120 days in Australia where it will help train future Australian Hobart-class dest
Canadian Navy frigate sets sail for NATO’s operation Reassurance
Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s left her homeport on Wednesday and headed for the Mediterranean Sea where it will join NATO’s standing maritime group 2. Departing from the naval base in Halifax, St. John’s set sail for the operation Reassurance to replace sister ship HMCS
Russian warships on five-day visit to Philippines
Two Russian Navy ships with the deputy commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet on board docked in Manila, Philippines on January 3. The good-will visit that will last until January 7 will not involve any naval exercises but Rear Adm. Eduard Mikhailov told reporters that Russia was looking forward to sta
Royal Navy contracts Ultra Electronics for more Merlin Mk2 sonobuoys
The Royal Navy has awarded British technology company Ultra Electronics a £9.7m contract extension for the supply and production of sonobuoys for the Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 maritime patrol helicopter fleet. The company announced Wednesday that its Command & Sonar Systems sonobuoy facility, based in
2017 is the year of the navy, British MoD says
The British Ministry of Defence said that 2017 is set to be the year of the Royal Navy as it prepares to welcome new ships to the fleet. “We are investing billions in growing the Royal Navy for the first time in a generation with new aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, patrol vessels and aircra
Ike CSG leaves U.S. 6th Fleet area en route home
U.S. Navy’s Eisenhower carrier strike group (Ike CSG) departed the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations on December 26, six days after it set sail from the French city of Marseille. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), and guided-missil