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Germany deploys frigate to Mediterranean migrant rescue mission
Germany is sending its F123 frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to the Mediterranean Sea and EU’s migrant-rescue operation Sophia. The Brandenburg-class frigate is set to depart the German Willhelmshaven navy base on August 7 to join the mission for the second time. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern previously cont
Babcock, BAE bag £170m worth of Royal Navy contracts
The UK defence ministry’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) office signed a seven-year contract with Babcock International Group to keep Royal Navy ships supplied with items essential for day-to-day maintenance and operations. The contract, announced by defence minister Harriett Baldwin in Portsm
US ballistic missile submarine USS Rhode Island undocks in overhaul milestone
U.S. Navy’s ballistic missile submarine USS Rhode Island achieved an overhaul milestone at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) undocking ahead of schedule. Entering water on July 17, the Ohio-class submarine set a new record for Engineered Refueling Overhauls (EROs) on the East Coast, beating NNSY’s forme
Naval Group appoints Australia executive director
French shipbuilder Naval Group (former DCNS) has appointed a new executive director to work with the Commonwealth of Australia on the Australian Future Submarine program. Jean-Michel Billig, the Australia executive director joined Naval Group in May 2017 as special advisor to Hervé Guillou, Presiden
Russia lays down first two Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class submarines
Russian shipbuilder Admiralty Shipyards has laid the keel for the first two of an additional six Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines (NATO reporting name: improved Kilo-class). The ceremony took place on Friday, July 28, in St. Petersburg. The two submarines will be named Pet
New British aircraft carriers unwelcome in South China Sea
Responding to the possibility of new UK aircraft carriers operating in the South China Sea, China’s foreign ministry said the deployment would only “stir up trouble”. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang made these remarks after UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson hinted at the possibility of t
Austal lays keel for first Pacific Patrol Boat
Australian shipbuilder Austal on Monday held a keel-laying ceremony for the first vessel of the Australian government’s Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Project. Defense industry minister Christopher Pyne authenticated the keel by committing his signature to a plate that was subsequently weld
Anti-submarine warfare drill GUAMEX kicks off
New Zealand, Japan and the U.S. sent their units to Guam where they will be taking part in a multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise off the coast of Guam, from July 31 to August 12. GUAMEX will include multiple aircraft and subsurface assets from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, t
Australia’s ASC opens upgraded submarine facilities
Australian government-owned shipbuilder ASC on Monday opened new facilities in Henderson that will increase the efficiency of the maintenance and sustainment of Australia’s submarine fleet. The $13 million upgrade enables the co-location of essential facilities, which will deliver a significant incr
Singapore, Malaysia conclude naval exercise Malapura
Some 600 personnel from the Republic of Singapore and Royal Malaysian Navy concluded ten days of drills as part of the bilateral exercise Malapura which took place from July 18 to 28. Conducted since 1984, this year’s exercise was hosted by the Royal Malaysian Navy and saw the participation of six w
Italy takes over command of counter-piracy mission Atalanta
Italian Navy Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori took over command of the EU counter-piracy operation Atalanta from Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Rafael Fernández-Pintado during a ceremony in Djibouti on July 27. EU NAVFOR’s deputy operation commander, Rear-Admiral Alfonso Pérez de Nanclares (Spanish Navy), also
US Navy tests up-gunned ESG concept during Talisman Saber
U.S. Navy’s Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group was joined by a U.S. destroyer and four Australian frigates to test elements of the up-gunned ESG concept during two weeks of drills at exercise Talisman Saber 2017. The field training exercise (FTX) component of TS17 tested a combined and join
Royal Navy submarine HMS Astute wraps up maintenance
Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine HMS Astute has returned to the fleet after completing a major capability upgrade and a sea training period. HMS Astute’s sea training process tested all aspects of the equipment and crew, ensuring that she is ready to respond to emergency situatio
Destroyer HMS Duncan first Royal Navy ship to visit Ukraine in eight years
A visit by Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan to the Ukrainian port of Odessa on July 24 marked the first UK warship visit to Ukraine in eight years. The Portsmouth-based destroyer led a NATO task group into the Ukrainian port at the start of a three-day visit ahead of exercises with the host nation’s