US Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) got underway from its San Diego homeport on June 18 to take part in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. Carl Vinson is joining more than 50 surface ships and submarines, and re
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga is returning from a Middle East deployment which saw the crew seize over AU$2 billion of narcotics over the course of eight months. In total, the Australian warship intercepted 16 vessels carrying illicit narcotics, seizing a total of around 31.8 tonnes
The Bulgarian Navy is staging a fleet wide drill with the aim of preparing units for the international Black Sea exercise Sea Breeze. Dubbed Black Sea – 2018, the local exercise is taking place from June 18 to 22 and will see the participation of 25 Bulgarian naval and auxiliary ships. The exercise
A steel-cutting ceremony at Seaspan’s Vancouver shipyard marked the start of construction of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Joint Support Ships. The ceremony was attended by Canadian defense minister Harjit S. Sajjan. Under a CAD$66 million contract announced earlier this month, Seaspan will build up to
German Navy tender FGS Rhein is departing its Kiel homeport on June 20 to head for the Mediterranean Sea where it will join NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). During its time in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the 100-meter long Elbe-class replenishment ship will serve as flags
The US Navy-led and Lithuanian-hosted international exercise BALTOPS 2018 concluded on June 15 as participating ships arrived in Kiel, Germany. During the two-week BALTOPS exercise, over 100 drills in surface, subsurface, air defense, mine counter measures, maritime interdictions, and joint personne
Ships from the US Navy’s Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and Marines attached to 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed the composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) off the coast of Southern California, June 15. COMPTUEX is a sea and land-based deployment certification event involving
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Anzac returned to her homeport at Fleet Base East on June 17, completing a three-month Southeast Asia deployment. Anzac deployed as part of a three ship task unit with HMA Ships Success and Toowoomba. Departing Fleet Base East in March, Anzac visited seven ports in
Swedish shipbuilder Saab held a keel laying ceremony for the Swedish Navy’s new signals intelligence (SIGINT) ship. The ceremony took place Friday at the Naval Shipyard, in Gdynia, Poland, and was attended by representatives from Saab, the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and invited guests. Saab was aw
Spanish helicopter carrier ESPS Juan Carlos I and frigate ESPS Blaz de Lezo met up with EUNAVFOR units in the Red Sea recently as they transit towards the Persian Gulf. The multi-purpose amphibious assault ship and F-100 class air defense frigate are deployed as part of a Spanish Navy operation call
Australian branches of global defense contractors Raytheon and Thales will be in charge of the A$542 million project to upgrade the fleet of six Royal Australian Navy Collins-class submarines. According to an announcement from the Australian defense industry minister Christopher Pyne, the upgrades a
Sailors and Marines from the US and Royal Thai Navy started the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series in Pattaya, June 14. The multi-nation exercise series is organized in bilateral phases with regional nations and is designed to enhance capabilities in a broad spectrum o
The Royal Australian Navy has concluded the amphibious exercise Sea Explorer off the coast of Queensland. The exercise was held over the anniversary of the D-Day landings, which took place on the 6th June 1944 on the coast of France. Commander of the Amphibious Task Group, Captain Paul O’Grady, ackn
Rear Adm. Alvin Holsey relieved Rear Adm. John Fuller as commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, during a pierside change of command ceremony, June 12, aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). Vice Adm. John D. Alexander, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, presided over the ceremony and thanked Fuller for his effo
