The Royal Australian Navy’s third Hobart-class air warfare destroyer Sydney is set to enter operations a year earlier than originally planned following an accelerated capability upgrade. As explained, the defense ministry was able to streamline a technical upgrade to the ship during its build at the
The Australian government has awarded Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia (SEDA) a contract for in-service support to the Royal Australian Navy’s infrared search and track systems. Australian defense minister Christopher Pyne said as the prime contractor, SEDA would provide maintenance and supp
US Navy ships from the Japan-based US 7th Fleet took part in what the navy termed the most advanced tactical training necessary for blue water combat. For the first time ever, three guided missile destroyers, a guided missile cruiser, and two amphibious ships of the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces com
US Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf pulled into Sasebo, Japan, earlier this month after supporting the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) sanctions on North Korea. Bertholf was tasked with preventing illicit ship-to-ship transfers that violate North Korea sanctions. The pa
Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana has arrived in Canada to start her combat management system upgrades. The ship pulled into Canadian forces base Esquimalt on March 12 and will be modernized at Seaspan’s shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia. Te Mana is starting the upgrade after complet
Assets from the navies of Japan, the UK and US are scheduled top take part in their second trilateral exercise later this week. The inaugural Asia Pacific exercise took place in December 2018. The drill will take place in the Western Pacific and is scheduled for kick off on March 14. Japan will be r
Royal Navy’s Type 23 Frigate HMS Montrose arrived in Japan on March 8, becoming the fourth Royal Navy ship to visit the country in a year. HMS Montrose pulled into Tokyo for a six-day stay at Harumi Wharf before starting exercises with Japan’s Maritime Self Defence Force and the US Navy’s Seventh Fl
The search for the Royal Australian Navy’s sunken World War II destroyer HMAS Vampire is underway off the coast of Sri Lanka, with the navies of both countries contributing hydrographic assets to the cause. Nine sailors died when the destroyer HMAS Vampire sank after enduring an intensive Japanese a
The Royal Australian Navy has contracted the Australian branch of Phoenix International for the delivery of a new air transportable submarine rescue service capability. As announced by the Australian defense minister Christopher Pyne, the service will be based in Western Australia and support both t
The annual disaster response preparedness exercise Pacific Partnership began March 4 as US Military Sealift Command (MSC) expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Brunswick (T-EPF 6) got underway from Naval Base Guam to start the mission in Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership is the largest annual, mult
The Australian defense ministry and French shipbuilder Naval Group have reached another step in the Royal Australian Navy’s Future Submarine program with the signing of the design contract on March 5. The design contract was signed less than a month after the Strategic Partnering Agreement was signe
The Royal Australian Navy’s last Bell 429 helicopter made its final public appearance at the Australian International Airshow 2019 at Avalon, Victoria. Originally commissioned into service in 2012, Navy’s 723 Squadron operated the Bell 429s to maintain and develop the skills of junior helicopter air
Naval Group Australia, the prime contractor for the Australian Attack-class submarine construction, has entered into a framework agreement with ASC for cooperation on the AU$50 billion project. The agreement details the terms and conditions through which Naval Group Australia and the government-owne
Royal Australian Navy’s communications and information systems sailors will benefit from a new simulator at the Defence Force School of Signals Maritime Wing at HMAS Cerberus. The learning system simulator was developed by Australian company Cirrus and was accepted by the School of Signals in Decemb
