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US aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower deploys for Europe, Middle East
U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, with about 7,000 sailors attached to its carrier strike group, departed Naval Station Norfolk for a deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations. The IKE CSG is deploying to relieve the Harry S. Truman Strike Group supporting air
US Navy introduces next-gen head-up displays for diving helmets
Researchers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) are developing a new system to improve divers’ perception of their surroundings in murky and dark waters. Underwater systems development project engineer Dennis Gallagher and his team are developing the Divers Augmented
Royal Navy’s HMS Ocean heads for Baltops
Royal Navy’s Landing Platform Helicopter HMS Ocean left her homeport in Devonport to take part in a major multinational NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea. Exercise Baltops is an annual workout which tests the 16 allied and partner maritime nations taking part. The helicopter carrier and Royal Navy fle
Austal gets post-shakedown contracts for LCS 6 and 8
Australian-based shipbuilder Austal announced that it was awarded four separate post-shakedown availability (PSA) contracts by the U.S. Navy for littoral combat ships (LCS) 6 and 8. According to Austal, the contracts are worth over US$4.9 million in total. On May 6, 2016, Austal was awarded a $11.8
Record number of countries to take part in RIMPAC 2016
With four new participants, the number of countries taking part in RIMPAC, the world’s largest international maritime exercise, rose to 27. 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise scheduled June 30 t
NATO SNMG 1 changes flagship
Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 held a ‘Spanish’ flagship change as one Alvaro de Bazan frigate replaced another on May 27. ESPS Mendez Nunez (F-104) took over as flag ship from ESPS Alvaro de Bazan. ESPS Alvaro de Bazan’s service as flagship of SNMG1 began December the 18, 2015 in Cartagena, Spain,
How drones make NATO’s mine-hunting more flexible
The Danish Navy recently contributed their new concept in counter-mine efforts to exercise Open Spirit in the Baltic Sea as part of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1. The new system is flexible, scalable and utilizes drones to minimize danger to Sailors. The system is called Mine Countermea
CARAT 2016 gets underway in Malaysia
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have kicked off the Malaysia phase of the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series between the U.S. and the armed forces of nine ASEAN member-countries. CARAT is a series of bilateral naval exercises between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Co
Open Spirit 2016 concludes
Open Spirit 2016 participants were able to utilize their minehunting skills as they destroyed mines and other sea obstacles which posed a threat to Baltic Sea shipping lanes for decades. The international NATO maneuver which took place off Klaipeda, Lithuania concluded May 27. Minehunting units have
ITS Andrea Doria launches first MU90 torpedo
Sailors aboard the Italian Navy’s Horizon-class air-defence destroyer Andrea Doria launched their first MU90 torpedo in the Gulf of Taranto, May 24, 2016. During the exercise, a fictional sonar contact is included on the combat system management computer (CMS). Once the contact appears, the weapon s
U.S. to build first icebreaker in 25 years
The United States Committee on Appropriations has approved the FY2017 Defense Appropriations Bill which includes $1.0 billion in Navy shipbuilding funds to build the first USCG-operated icebreaker since FY1990. The United States currently relies on just one heavy vessel and one medium vessel, one of
Thales joins Seaspan for Canadian Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels work
French-based defense contractor Thales signed a CAD$35 million, (approx. US$26,8) contract with Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards (VSY), to deliver electronic systems for the construction of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV) under the National Shipbuilding
Spanish submarine ‘Galerna’ returns from counter-Daesh operation
A Spanish Navy submarine returned home having concluded a month-and-a-half deployment to operation ‘Active Endeavor’, an international mission to fight the ISIL terrorist organization. Submarine ‘Galerna’ (S-71) returned to her homeport in Cartagena, Spain on May 26, 2016, after participating in the
USNS Mercy evacuates sailor from South Korean submarine
U.S. Navy’s hospital ship USNS Mercy performed a medical evacuation to help a ROK Navy sailor in need of medical attention. The U.S. Navy ship on May 26 received orders from Commander Task Force (CTF) 73 to render medical assistance to a Republic of Korea Navy (ROK-N) submarine in the mid-pacific. M