US Coast Guard’s national security cutter USCGC Strato returned home after a deployment in which operations spanned from the Arctic Ocean to the coasts of South America. Stratton’s crew began their deployment in the Arctic Ocean in support of Coast Guard District Seventeen and operation Arctic Shiel
At the beginning of October, the third of Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s new tankers headed to sea to begin military trials. RFA Tidesurge (A138) — one of four Tide-class ships built to support the new carriers and their battle groups — has already proven her seakeeping abilities courtesy as she arrived in
The Australian government announced on October 4 the signing of an interim contract with BAE Systems Australia for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigate program. The Advanced Work Arrangement (AWA) will cover ongoing work on the $35 billion program, ahead of agreeing the head contract. Au
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia announced it has received a contract extension for the maintenance of four US Navy destroyers forward-deployed to the Spanish Navy base Rota. The original contract first entered into force in November 2013 and includes one-year extension options until November 2020. Acco
US Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is ready to start Enduring Promise, an 11-week medical assistance mission conducted with host-nation health and government partners in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Honduras. Comfort is scheduled to depart Norfolk on October 11, en route to South America a
Construction works on the Royal Australian Navy’s new generation of offshore patrol vessels officially kicked off with a steel cutting ceremony on Wednesday. The steel cutting for the first of overall 12 vessels took place at Civmec’s Western Australia facility. Civmec will be responsible for buildi
Ships and personnel from the US, Spain, Germany and France concluded the four-day Smart Defense Exercise (SMARTEX) on September 28. SMARTEX is a NATO initiative designed to enhance interoperability and training between participating countries. During the exercise, Spanish sailors embarked aboard the
Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan announced it has awarded Hawboldt Industries two contracts totaling CAD$8 million for work on Canada’s new Joint Support Ships (JSS). This is one of several contracts expected to be announced for Canadian suppliers supporting Seaspan’s work on naval supply ships under th
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has returned to port with a rescued solo round-the-world yachtsman. Ballarat’s MH-60R ‘Romeo’ Seahawk helicopter recovered Irish national, Gregor McGuckin, from a French scientific research station on Amsterdam Island after he was transported there by Fren
The biennial Five Power Defence Arrangements exercise Bersama Lima is starting in the South Cina Sea on Tuesday. Involving ships, aircraft and personnel from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK, the exercise will include live fire and command post exercises over a two-week period.
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond got underway from Portsmouth on September 29 for maritime security operations in the Mediterranean Sea. The Type 45 destroyer will provide reassurance to allies in the region throughout the autumn. The deployment follows a busy few months for HMS Diamond and her crew
The US Coast Guard transferred two of its decommissioned Island-class cutters to Ukraine in a ceremony at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, on September 27. The ceremony was attended by US Coast Guard Vice Adm. Michael McAllister, Ukrainian Navy chief Vice Adm. Ihor Voronchenko, and Ukraine’s presi
Indian shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) has contracted German submarine specialist thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for work on the overhaul of the Indian Navy’s Type 209 submarine INS Shishumar. The exact value of the contract was not revealed and TKMS only said it received a “high two
NATO’s operation Sea Guardian Special Operations Command Control Element (SOCCE) achieved full operational capability last week, NATO’s Maritime Command has announced. On September 20, under Maritime Command (MARCOM) guidance and SOCCE control, an opposed live boarding exercise commenced with the pa
