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ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise concludes in Zhanjiang, China
The Chinese People’s Liberation Navy and navies of ASEAN member states have completed the at-sea phase of the inaugural ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise. The exercise spanned five days from October 22 to 27 and concluded with a field training exercise in Zhanjiang, China. Co-organised by the Republic o
US Navy contracts NG, L3 for Next Generation Jammer work
The US Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman and L3 Technologies contracts worth $35.1 million to demonstrate existing technologies for the low-band frequency jammer, the second increment of the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) program. The NGJ system will augment, and ultimately replace the EA-18G Growler
Second large-scale naval drill in Baltic Sea kicks off
Over 40 vessels from NATO and ally countries gathered in Turku, Finland, to kick off a second major exercise in the Baltic Sea on October 25. The exercise is called Northern Coasts and is organized by Germany and hosted by a different Baltic Sea nation each year. It will run concurrent with Trident
Heavy seas damage US Navy ship ahead of NATO drill Trident Juncture
Two US Navy ships were forced to return to Reykjavik, Iceland, after amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) was damaged in heavy seas while en route to Norway and exercise Trident Juncture. The ship was damaged on October 22 and is currently in Iceland for further assessment. The nav
Australian Navy commissions first unmanned aircraft system squadron
The Royal Australian Navy hosted a commissioning ceremony at HMAS Albatross on Wednesday to mark the formal transition of the Naval Unmanned Aircraft Systems Unit (NUASU) to 822X Squadron. This is a major milestone in the Royal Australian Navy’s capability to operate unmanned aerial systems in the m
Indian Navy orders more Barak 8 SAMs under $777m deal
India’s state-owned company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has awarded Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) an additional, $777 million contract for the delivery on Naval Barak 8 surface to air missiles for the Indian Navy. In September this year, BEL announced it received $1.2 billion in contracts f
Australia’s HMAS Launceston wraps up drill with Royal Brunei Navy
The navies of Australia and Brunei have completed the 18th series of bilateral exercise Penguin which took place off Brunei. The four-day exercise concluded October 22. Exercise Penguin was joined by Royal Brunei Navy’s Darussalam-class OPV KD Darulaman and Itjihad-class inshore patrol vessel KD Ber
France starts study phase for new aircraft carrier
The French defense ministry will launch a study phase to look into the replacement of the French Navy’s sole aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle, defense minister Florence Parly announced October 23 at the Euronaval conference. The minister said the study phase would span 18 months during which th
Naval Group, Fincantieri lay out 50/50 joint venture plans
Italy’s Fincantieri and French Naval Group have outlined plans for a possible future joint venture at the Euronaval conference taking place in Paris, France. The latest agreement is the result of a year’s work during which the two sides looked at ways of creating “a more efficient and competitive” E
Former experimental Royal Navy trimaran on sale in UK
A 98-meter experimental trimaran built for the Royal Navy in 2000 is currently being offered for sale by yacht brokerage Ocean Independence. The RV Triton spent over 15 years in service as a prototype demonstrator in the UK and later as a customs border protection vessel in Australia. It was designe
Papua New Guinea patrol boat Rabaul retires after 31 years of service
HMPNGS Rabaul, a Papua New Guinea Defence Force patrol boat which was gifted to the island country by Australia, has completed its final voyage to Port Macquarie from Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island after 31 years of service. The patrol boat was gifted to Papua New Guinea in May 1987 under the Pa
US destroyer Mitscher trains with Egyptian Navy
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) met up with Egyptian Navy’s Descubierta-class corvette ENS El Suez (F-946) for a passing exercise (PASSEX) on October 21. Cmdr. Ian Scaliatine, commanding officer of Mitscher, welcomed El Suez’s leadership aboard Mitscher f
Inaugural ASEAN-China maritime drill kicks off in Zhanjiang, China
The first joint exercise between China and ASEAN member countries kicked off in Zhanjiang, in China’s Guandong province, on Monday, October 22. The five-day exercise is co-organised by the Republic of Singapore Navy and the People’s Liberation Army Navy, and will be joined by participants from all n
HMAS Canberra hosts first of class trials for ARH Tiger helicopter
Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra has hosted first of class trials (FOCT) for the army’s ARH Tiger helicopter. A team from the Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials Unit (AMAFTU) spent the last seven weeks embarked in HMAS Canberra evaluating the helicopters operational li