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Peru-hosted UNITAS 2017 concludes
Armed forces from 19 nations concluded two weeks of multinational exercises and events at-sea and in port, in Loma, Peru. The 58th iteration of the longest running multinational naval exercise closed on July 26. Participating nations utilized 30 vessels, 28 aircraft as well as several submarines and
USS Ross completes four-month forward-deployed patrol
U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain, after completing a four month patrol that began April 3, 2017. At the beginning of the ship’s fifth forward-deployed patrol, Ross and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-miss
Talisman Saber 2017 concludes
The combined U.S.-Australian exercise Talisman Saber 2017 concluded in Brisbane on July 25 after 30 days of high-end, mid-intensity warfighting scenarios. Two years in the planning, Talisman Saber involved approximately 33,000 participants, 36 warships and over 220 aircraft. Luke Howarth MP, Austral
Chinese task group bound for Finland after Baltic Sea drills with Russia
After concluding their drills with the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea, ships from the Chinese Navy’s task group are scheduled to visit Finland for a regularly scheduled port call. Three Chinese warships, Type 052D destroyer Hefei (DDG-174), Type 054A frigate Yuncheng (571) and Type 903 replenishment
EU extends Mediterranean migrant mission to 2018
The European Union migrant-rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea has been extended and will now run until December 31, 2018. EU leaders reached the agreement on July 25 after Italy curbed its protest against how the migrant crisis was being handled by other member states. The extension was expecte
RDEL launches two Indian Navy offshore patrol vessels
Indian shipbuilder Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) launched two offshore patrol vessels for the Indian Navy at its shipyard in Pipavav on July 25. Named Shachi and Shruti, the OPVs are the first two of overall five planned ships in the class. The primary role of the NOPVs will be to
German minehunter Sulzbach-Rosenberg joining NATO mine countermeasures group
German Navy’s Frankenthal-class minehunter FGS Sulzbach-Rosenberg will be joining NATO’ Standing Mine Counter Measure Group 1 (SNMCMG1) operating in the Baltic and North Seas, the German Navy has announced. The minehunter is set to depart its home port of Kiel, Germany, on July 28 to spend the follo
Belgian frigate concludes Mediterranean migrant mission as scheduled
Belgian Navy frigate BNS Louise Marie concluded her deployment to the EU-led migrant crisis operation in the Mediterranean Sea setting sail home on July 23. The multi-purpose frigate left operation Sophia after the scheduled 34 days of duties, despite calls for the frigate’s earlier withdrawal due t
HMAS Arunta returns to Western Australia
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta returned to her home port of Fleet Base West in Rockingham, Western Australia, on July 23, completing the longest Middle Eastern deployment of an Australian Navy vessel since the first Gulf War. Senator for Western Australia, Linda Reynolds; Commander Austra
Davie unveils Canada’s Resolve-class AOR MV Asterix
Canadian shipbuilder Chantier Davie on Thursday unveiled the Project Resolve auxiliary oiler replenishment ship ‘Asterix’. Asterix is the first large naval ship to be built in Canada in over 20 years, according to the shipbuilder. Project Resolve, as the undertaking was dubbed, consists of convertin
USS Milius (DDG 69) to forward-deploy to Japan after BMD upgrade
The ballistic missile defense (BMD)-capable guided missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) will be deploying to Japan once it completes testing and certification. The U.S. Navy announced the destroyer would become part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) based at Commander Fleet Activities Yok
USS Essex sailing with newly-developed coating
USS Essex recently took to sea with a new coat of paint developed by researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for the exterior topsides of Navy surface ships. Until April of 2017, NRL’s new single-component (1K) polysiloxane coating had only been tested on 400-800 sq.ft. areas of ship
Australia puts amphibious capabilities to the test
Taking charge of the largest amphibious assault conducted by an Australian force in 70 years as part of exercise Talisman Saber presented an opportunity to shine for the Amphibious Task Group Headquarters. The assault, led from amphibious asssault ship HMAS Canberra, was a significant milestone in t
Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter concludes German frigate integration
A Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter has wrapped up its integration aboard a German Navy frigate during her pre-deployment training which started in April this year. The Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton-based helicopter spent seven weeks aboard the Bremen-class frigate FGS Lübeck. This was also t