The Philippine armed forces are hosting this year’s Balikatan which is set to run from April 4 – 16 in the province of Antique, Philippines. Balikatan is an annual multi-layered exercise between the Philippines and the U.S. Pacific Command which spans humanitarian and civic assistance events, and jo
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics a $644.3 million contract modification for the planning and construction of Harvey C. Barnum (DDG 124) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. This modification fully funds this ship, which was awarded as part of a multi-year competition for DDG 51 class destroyers
Qatar Emiri Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Qatari LNG shipping company Nakilat for the establishment of a national naval centre for simulator training. The signed MoU will also allow the Navy forces to train on board Nakilat’s fleet of vessels, the shipping company informed t
German Navy submarine U 34 left its homeport in Eckernförde, Germany on March 30 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1. The submarine is headed for Scotland where it will meet with the group ahead the Joint Warrior exercise scheduled to take place from April 11 – 22. Apart from SNMG 1 the exerc
A Royal Navy warship has located and escorted a Russian naval task group which was sailing in British waters, through the English Channel and up the East Coast of the UK, the Royal Navy said. HMS Somerset, a Type 23 Frigate, along with her Merlin helicopter was used to detect and monitor the movemen
Australian-based shipbuilder Austal has laid the keel for the eighth U.S. Navy Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel Yuma (EPF 8) at its Mobile, Alabama facility during a ceremony held March 29. The ship is built under a 10-ship, $1.6 billion block-buy contract awarded to Austal in 2008. Laying the ke
Royal Australian Navy’s first Aegis-equipped Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD), HMAS Hobart, has begun integration and testing of the installed combat system. Testing will be facilitated by Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians who are responsible for testing the Aegis Combat System to ensure the equi
U.S. Navy ship Blue Ridge changed command during a port visit to Sri Lanka on March 29. Captain Matthew Paradise relieved Captain Kyle P. Higgins as commanding officer of the Command-class ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). Higgins served as commanding officer for over 14 months, leading the ship and cre
Royal Australian Navy’s landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra which was deployed to Fiji in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Winston is set to return to Australia March 30. Following a request from the Fijian government, HMAS Canberra was deployed to Fiji on March 1 to deliver humanitarian aid and assis
Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), under the command of Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Jose Enrique Delgado, visited Riga, Latvia, for a scheduled port visit last week. The group is currently deployed to the North and Baltic Seas. SNMG1 is currently composed of three ships: the Spanish F100 class fr
The U.S. Navy has selected General Dynamics’ Electric Boat as the prime contractor to design and deliver 12 Ohio-Replacement submarines. In its Submarine Unified Build Strategy (SUBS), the U.S. Navy has outlined a way to keep the OR programme on schedule without neglecting the Virginia-class constru
Dr. Janine Davidson was sworn in as the 32nd under secretary of the Navy March 22. Davidson serves as the Navy’s chief management officer and performs other duties assigned by the secretary of the Navy. A former Air Force pilot and Pentagon official, Davidson brings nearly 30 years of experience in
Spanish Navy minesweeper ESPS Tambre concluded its deployment to the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 and returned to Cartagena, Spain on March 28. The Segura-class minesweeper spent two months integrated into the maritime group which was comprised of ships from different NATO member stat
Operation Atalanta’s new Force Commander who took command over the force six days ago used the opportunity to meet a Lithuanian Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment as his ship, FGs Bayern, rendezvoused with World Food Programme ship MSM Douro. The Lithuanian team that comprises MSM Douro’s Auton
