The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Northrop Grumman Systems a $55 million contract to deliver an additional five Fire Scout MQ-8C unmanned air systems and two lightweight fuel cells. The company is expected to complete work on the contract by August 2021. The MQ-8C is the larger of two Fir
Energy solutions provider AMSC announced it has been contracted to deliver a high temperature superconductor (HTS) based ship protection system (SPS) for the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). This contract follows a long lead order from the US Navy for a ship prot
The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on January 28 issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement of new TH-XX helicopter training aircraft. The new TH-XX aircraft will replace the TH-57B/C aircraft currently used by the US Navy for advanced helicopter training for undergraduate pilot
The US Navy is set to retire its last F/A-18C Hornet fighters in a final flight ceremony at Naval Air Station Oceana on February 1. The final single-seat, twin-engine, carrier-capable legacy Hornets are still operational with Strike Fighter Squadron 34 and the “Blue Blasters” are the only squadron f
Construction on the first ship in a new class of US Coast Guard cutters started with a steel cutting ceremony at Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s facilities in Panama City, Florida, on January 7. The steel cutting for offshore patrol cutter (OPC) Argus (WMSM-915) was a significant milestone for the comp
The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Boeing a $2.45 billion contract modification to start construction on a number of Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol aircraft for the US Navy, the UK and Norway. Under the latest contract modification, Boeing is to deliver 10 P-8As to the US Navy, four for the
The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Module Program recently completed shipboard integration testing of two unmanned systems on board USS Independence (LCS 2). The two systems — General Dynamics-developed Knifefish unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) and Textron-developed Unmanned Influence
Seaspan Shipyards has awarded Ontario-based Indal Technologies a CAD$20 million contract for work on Canada’s new Joint Support Ships (JSS). Under the contract, Indal will be providing its Aircraft Ship Integrated Securing & Traversing (ASIST) system for JSS. The ASIST helicopter handling system pro
A Los Angeles-class attack submarine and P-8A Poseidon crews from the US Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force have completed their participation in the annual, multilateral exercise Sea Dragon. This year’s exercise was conducted out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and concluded on January 22. P
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ville de Québec returned to Halifax on Monday, completing a six-month deployment with Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2). During the frigate’s deployment in European waters, an embarked CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter completed its first operational deployme
UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Mounts Bay has embarked a team of US drug enforcement officers to join the fight against Caribbean drug-running. An SH65 Dolphin helicopter of the US Coast Guard’s HITRON – Helicopter Interdiction Tactical squadRON – and its counter-narcotics boarding team, the LEDE
The Spanish Navy’s sixth Buque de Acción Marítima (BAM) ship – ESPS Furor – entered service in a ceremony in Ferrol, Spain, on January 21. The ship was commissioned after officially starting construction in a keel laying ceremony in April 2016. Furor (pennant number P-46) is the second of two ships
A German Navy Sea Lynx helicopter was forced to make a “safety landing” at the Kiel airport on January 16, the navy has informed. The helicopter was conducting training with tender FGS Werra in the Kiel Bight when the crew noticed a warning light in the cockpit. The crew then proceeded to land at th
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia held a steel cutting ceremony at its San Fernando shipyard on January 15 to officially mark the start of construction of the first Royal Saudi Navy Avante 2200 corvette. The ceremony was attended by company officials and representatives from the navies of Saudi Arabia an
