Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has marked the official start of construction of the first Doha-class corvette for the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces. The steel cutting ceremony for the vessel took place on Monday at the Muggiano (La Spezia) yard, in the presence of the Qatari defense minister, His Excell
The US State Department has approved $70 million worth of items and services for the upgrades of Royal Bahrain Navy frigate RBNS Sabha. The approved sale includes engineering, technical, and logistics services, documentation, and modification material for US Navy supplied systems and equipment. RBNS
Australian shipbuilder Austal announced that the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago government intends to purchase two Austal-designed Cape-class patrol boats. The purchase would enhance the border protection capabilities of the country in conjunction with the existing Coast Guard fleet, and will join
US Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) has embarked an Italian AV-8B Harrier jet as it sails home from a deployment to Europe and Middle East. The jet and its crew landed on July 18 and will later cross the Atlantic Ocean with the sailors and marines aboard the Iwo Jima. [
Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll joined the international Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) during a recent visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Currently under command of Royal Navy Commodore Steve Moorhouse, CTF 150 is part of the 32-nation Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), is responsible for disrupting the
The French Navy commissioned its second Loire-class offshore support and assistance multipurpose vessel – BSAH Rhone – in a ceremony on July 6. Rhone entered service after being launched by the Kership joint venture in Concarneau, north-western France, in November 2017, and completing all trials off
Spanish Navy’s Galicia-class landing platform dock ESPS Castilla got underway from her homeport at Rota Naval Base on July 19 to join the counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the Horn of Africa. ESPS Castilla will operate two SH-60 helicopters from the 10th aircraft squadron during the deployment a
The UK defense ministry’s project of acquiring “low-cost” Type 31 frigates has been brought to a halt due to what the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) office described as a lack of “compliant bids”. The process is now being streamlined, according to a IHS Jane’s report, and will be restarted in
The US Coast Guard has issued a request for information (RFI) for a service life extension project (SLEP) for heavy icebreaker ‘Polar Star’. The service life extension project (SLEP) is being undertaken as part of the In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program (ISVS) and will extend the service life of t
The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAVCAD) has awarded Insitu Inc. a $10.8 million contract to deliver an additional 27 ScanEagle unmanned aircraft systems to Afghanistan. In addition to the systems, the contract includes 37 payloads and spares in support of the government of the Isl
The US Navy’s expeditionary fast transport USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) got underway from Virginia to join Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2018 – an annual series of US Navy deployments focused on exchanges with regional partner nation militaries and security forces. Spearhead will conduct subject ma
Belgian Navy command and support ship BNS Godetia assumed the role of NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) flagship on July 22, taking over from Dutch submarine support ship HNLMS Mercuur (A900). Despite having 780,000 nautical miles on the clock, Godetia brings a wealth of capabilit
Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Dixmude and La Fayette-class frigate FS Surcouf wrapped up the French Navy’s annual Jeanne D’Arc mission returning to naval base Toulon on July 19. The two ships got underway in late February and sailed a total of 26,500 nautical miles over a period of 145 days.
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St. John’s returned to her homeport in Halifax on July 23 after spending six months deployed to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). Joining SNMG1 on January 18, 2018, the frigate contributed to NATO operations as part of the Canadian operation Reassurance. Duri
