NATO’s two standing maritime groups welcomed new flagships in a ceremony at naval station Rota, Spain, on July 26. SNMG1, the group that mainly operates in the North and Baltic Sea, has a US Navy ship at its helm again as USS Gravely (DDG 107) was relieved by sister destroyer USS Gridley (DDG-101).
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan has arrived in the Persian Gulf where it is set to ensure the safe passage of British-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s seizing of tanker Stena Impero on July 19. Last week the government confirmed that the Royal Navy has been tasked to accom
UK defense technology company BAE Systems has completed “one-of-a-kind” trials of the autonomous Pacific 950 rigid inflatable boat (RIB) demonstrator. The company now says that the autonomous technology will allow navies to go beyond the limits of human endurance with unmanned vessels that can trave
German Navy Frankenthal-class minehunter FGS Weilheim is set to join the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) for over four months of joint operations. The vessel will depart its Kiel homeport on July 29 for a two-week at-sea phase before heading to the German Navy’s fire and damage
The German Navy’s new NH90 Sea Lion helicopter performed mission demonstrations for its relevant roles earlier this month, ahead of first unit deliveries later this year. The demonstrations included SAR missions, checking navy reconnaissance capabilities, and dropping off commandos and special force
The US Naval Sea Systems Command has released a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of the medium unmanned surface vehicle (MUSV). Similarly to the Sea Hunter, MUSV will be a pier-launched, self-deploying modular, open architecture surface vehicle capable of autonomous navigation and mis
Royal Navy landing platform dock HMS Albion returned to her home port of HM Naval Base Devonport in Plymouth, after leading an international task group on two months of exercises in the Baltic Sea. This was Albion’s first Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Maritime Task Group mission that demonstrated
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s second Maya-class Aegis destroyer Haguro (DDG 180) was launched in a July 17 ceremony in Yokohama. Built by Japan Marine United (JMU) Corporation, the 170-meter destroyer is an improved version of the Atago-class ships that entered service in 2007 and 2008. Th
A multinational amphibious landing and offensive assault was part of exercise Talisman Sabre.
The US State Department has cleared Greece to buy MH-60R multi-mission helicopters with support equipment under a deal estimated to be worth $600 million. The US approval comes less than six months after the Greek government announced its intention to buy the MH-60R. The Hellenic Navy is expected to
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat returned to its Perth homeport on July 14, following a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. The frigate’s 200 officers and sailors worked together with the international Combined Maritime Forces to seize nearly 20 tonnes of illicit drugs worth an esti
The UK is sending Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan to the Persian Gulf in the wake of an escalation of tensions in the region following the scrapping of the Iran nuclear deal and a spate of attacks on commercial tankers. HMS Duncan was operating in the Black Sea when the ship’s new tasking was announced
Suffren boats will be more silent, durable, and deadly than their predecessors.
The Royal Malaysian Navy’s second Keris-class littoral mission ship (LMS) was launched in Wuhan, China, by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) on July 12. Named Sundang (with pennant number 112), the LMS is the second of four ships in the class ordered under a RM1.17 billion (approx. US$2
