Ships from several nations concluded their participation in the Turkish-led exercise Mavi Balina in the Mediterranean Sea. Participating nations included Pakistan, Romania, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. NATO Maritime Group 2, as well as observers from Algeria, Nigeria, and Georg
The Mexican Navy commissioned the offshore patrol vessel ARM Chiapas and logistic support support ship ARM Isla Maria Madre during a ceremony on November 23. The two new vessels were commissioned in the presence of Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto and the secretary of the Mexican Navy, Admiral V
German Navy’s replenishment oiler Rhön is set to return to its homeport in Wilhelmshaven after completing a two-month deployment to NATO’s standing maritime group 1 (SNMG1). Rhön is scheduled to enter harbor on November 30 after spending 57 days at sea and sailing 9,000 nautical miles. The ship depa
Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class HMAS Dechaineux made a port visit in Hobart, Australia for a few days recently. Breaking up their long transit to New Zealand, Dechaineux sailed north to Jervis Bay to spend a day at anchor conducting maintenance. It also enabled some of the ship’s company a cha
Australian companies, R&D and educational institutions gathered in Adelaide, November 24, to hear from representatives of the future submarine enterprise in regards to opportunities available in the Australian Navy submarine program. The event was a joint briefing between the Commonwealth of Austral
Royal Navy’s Type 4 destroyer HMS Duncan had to be towed back to Devonport after experiencing a breakdown off Plymouth. According to a report by the Plymouth Herald, a Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed this saying the ship had experienced “technical issues”. The ship was towed back to port on
The Albanian Navy joined it’s first-ever NATO maritime mission by deploying its patrol boat ALS Oriku to Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 on Monday. The vessel will support NATO activities in the Aegean Sea as part of the international efforts to stop illegal trafficking and migration. ALS Oriku is an
Secretary of the U.S. Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus visited sailors and marines assigned to USS Makin Island (LHD 8) and the 11th marine expeditionary unit (MEU) while the ship was pierside in Singapore, November 22. Mabus opened the event with an all-hands call, lauding the sailors and marines aboard Mak
A detachment of 20 Royal Danish Air Force officers and enlisted service members took flight in their aircraft from the Seychelles one last time on November 19 marking the end of their deployment. The Royal Danish Air Force Challenger CL-604 was deployed to NATO standing Operation Ocean Shield. The D
Australian Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne announced that Thales Australia has been awarded a $100 million contract to design a major sonar system upgrade for Collins class submarines. The minister added that Thales Australia will engage other Australian-based companies including Sona
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 left Devonport Naval Base on Monday after a routine visit. The international group, currently comprising ships from the Royal Navy and the Spanish and Portuguese navies and a German auxiliary tanker berthed in HM Naval Base Plymouth last week. SNMG 1 now s
DCNS, French defense contractor that will be building Australia’s future submarines, has signed a letter of intent with the Australian Indigenous Defence Consortium (IDC) to explore opportunities to include Indigenous Australians and Indigenous businesses within DCNS’s supply chain. The partnership
The crew of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke have started a period of training under direction of Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) after completing a maintenance period. This period marks the end of her busy operational period in the first half of 2016, which saw the ship deploy as par
Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark has announced an expansion project now underway at its waterfront shipbuilding complex in Franklin, Louisiana. The expansion is being undertaken to accommodate increased production needs, the company said. Metal Shark is erecting a fully-enclosed 200’ x 80’ la
