Having spent last Antarctic summer celebrating the deeds of one British polar hero, the crew of Royal Navy icebreaker HMS Protector have opened the 2016-17 survey season honouring his rival. A century after Sir Ernest Shackleton landed at King Haakon Bay on South Georgia in a makeshift lifeboat – th
Members of the Belgian Navy and U.S. Coast Guard recently completed a week-long maritime law enforcement exercise with partners from the Cabo Verde Coast Guard (CVCG), Maritime Police (CVMP), and Judicial Police (CVJP). The major participating units in the exercise were the Belgian command and suppo
HMS Caroline hasn’t been out of the water for 32 years so it’s not surprising to see the hull of the sole surviving vessel from the Battle of Jutland covered in barnacles. Two tugs spent an hour easing HMS Caroline from her home at Alexandra Dock in Belfast to Harland and Wolff’s Heavy Industries Do
UK’s Defence Secretary announced on Friday that first steel for the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates would be cut in summer 2017. Michael Fallon made the announcement during a visit to Govan in Scotland and added that the deal was subject to final contract negotiations. Fallon also announced a £100
Belgian Navy research ship R/V Belgica is scheduled to get a successor by 2020, the Belgium government announced on October 28. The 32-year-old ship has reached an end of its service life and needs a replacement, secretary of state for science Elke Sleurs said. RV Belgica is owned by the Belgian Sci
The EU naval force in charge of safeguarding shipping off the Horn of Africa has increased its patrols after Somali pirates attacked chemical tanker CPO Korea off the east coast of Somalia on October 22. During the attack a number of shots were exchanged between the six armed pirates, who were in a
HMS Albion – the Royal Navy amphibious assault ship that has been mothballed in 2011, just eight years after she joined the fleet – is gradually coming to life one step at a time. In her latest milestone, the amphibious command ship been placed in long term lay-up with her own generators now powerin
The U.S. Navy recently shared news of the Marines’ F-35B stealth fighter jet conducting trials aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America. A total of seven of the STOVL (short take-off vertical landing) variants of the Lockheed Martin-built jet are embarked on USS America for both developmental
Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy met with the commander of the Allied Maritime Command at the headquarters of NATO’s maritime forces in the United Kingdom’s Northwood facility near London. Vice Admiral Ron Lloyd (Royal Canadian Navy) and Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone (Royal Navy) talked about the
U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) departed Greek Souda Bay port on November 1 following an eight-day port visit to complete her mid-deployment voyage repair (MDVR). While the port call’s primary focus was a MDVR to ensure the ship is in fully operational condition for the remainde
Royal Navy tanker RFA Gold Rover recently refueled French helicopter carrier FS Dixmude and joined it for a piracy patrol off the Ivory Coast. Joined by Ivory Coast patrol boat Sekongo, the ships patrolled 200 miles of coastline and waters off shore, stretching from the Ivory Coast’s principal port
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has contracted Swedish defense contractor Saab to deliver an integrated combat system for the two new Royal Australian Navy replenishment ships. According to Saab, the contract is worth SEK 226 million (approx US$25 milion). Helicopter control radar and decoy system are
U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) wrapped up its mission of supporting the French Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group. Ross was part of a destroyer squadron in charge of protecting the aircraft carrier from attacks thereby enabling it to launch fighter jets to carry out airst
EUNAVFOR operation Sophia has started training activities with the Libyan Navy and Coast Guard this week, and will continue doing so over the next three months. The training is taking place on board of two EUNAVFOR MED vessels on the high seas for 78 embarked trainees and their mentors. The initial
