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
Allied nations’ warships concluded their participation in the international exercise Joint Warrior 16-2, October 21. The United Kingdom-led and -hosted Joint Warrior series is run by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) from exercise headquarters aboard Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde i
The Royal Navy-hosted review of unmanned technologies which took place on the West Coast of Scotland concluded on October 20. The skies above the island of Benbecula, a remote Scottish outpost in the Outer Hebrides, have been clear and calm in October allowing several dozens of the world’s experts t
Senior lawyers from the US Navy and the Royal Navy met at the stone frigate HMS Excellent for formal joint talks concerning aircraft carrier operations. With the Royal Navy on the cusp of returning to ‘big deck’ aircraft carrier operations when HMS Queen Elizabeth joins the fleet next year, it is ke
Royal Navy’s amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean visited the Egyptian port of Alexandria last weekend, thereby becoming the first UK warship to visit Egypt in over eight years. HMS Ocean visited Egypt as part of Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) 16 and will carry out exercises with partner nations
