Aviation
Royal Navy’s new small survey vessel will be called HMS Magpie
A new Royal Navy small survey vessel that will replace the recently decommissioned HMSML Gleaner will be named HMS Magpie, Royal Navy First Sea Lord Admiral Philip Jones announced. The last HMS Magpie was commanded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in Malta in the early 1950s. Motor Survey launch Magpie
UK’s fourth Tide-class tanker RFA Tideforce named in South Korea
RFA Tideforce, the final of four Tide-class tankers being built for the UK in South Korea, was named on January 24 in a ceremony at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering shipyard in South Korea. The ceremony was attended by Royal Marine General Gordon Messenger, British ambassador to Republic
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth preparing for helicopter trials
The recently-commissioned Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has kicked off preparations for her rotary wing trials which are set to start in the coming weeks. According to the Royal Navy, a Merlin helicopter from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose has been training aboard the aircraft ca
Naval Group, Airbus to develop rotary wing UAV demonstrator for French Navy
The French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction générale de l’armement) has awarded the Naval Group and Airbus Helicopters consortium a contract to develop a rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) demonstrator for the French Navy. According to a Naval Group announcement, the contract covers
Russia lays keel for sixth Project 22160 patrol ship
Russia’s Zelenodolsk Shipbuilding Plant named after Maksim Gorky is set to hold a keel-laying ceremony for the sixth Project 22160 patrol ship in the Republic of Tatarstan on January 13. Project 22160 patrol ships are designed by the JSC Northern Design Bureau (St. Petersburg) for exclusive economic
Royal Navy frigate escorts Russian task group through English Channel
The modernized Royal Navy frigate HMS Westminster was deployed on January 5 to keep watch on a Russian Navy task group transiting the English Channel and areas of UK interest, the Royal Navy said. The Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigate remained at sea over the weekend to meet up with the Russian vesse
Report: Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean definitely sold to Brazil
UK helicopter carrier HMS Ocean has reportedly been bought by Brazil. The purchase was confirmed by Brazilian defense minister Raul Jungmann, according to UK Defence Journal. Brazil is reportedly paying £84 million for the UK helicopter carrier which recently returned from her final deployment as a
France, US conclude amphibious drill Alligator Dagger in Djibouti
US Marines embarked aboard French amphibious assault ship LHD Tonnerre (L9014) concluded ten days of amphibious operations in the vicinity of Djibouti during the Alligator Dagger exercise. US marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Ma
Russian Navy receives third Project 11356 frigate ‘Admiral Makarov’
Russian shipbuilder Yantar delivered the third Project 11356 frigate ‘Admiral Makarov’ to the Russian Navy after a series of prolonged acceptance trials. The main reason for the delay were problems with the frigate-launched Shtil-1 surface to air missile system which had been unstable during operati
Royal Navy frigate escorts Russian frigate through the English Channel
A Royal Navy frigate on fleet escort duty followed a Russian frigate as it passed through the North Sea and areas of UK interest on Christmas Day. HMS St Albans, a Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigate, was called upon to sail on December 23 and keep watch on the new Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov as i
HMS Ocean returns from final deployment as commissioned Royal Navy ship
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean returned home to naval base Devonport on December 19, concluding her final deployment as a commissioned Royal Navy ship. The ship was scheduled to enter Devonport on December 20, welcomed by families and friends, but a forecast of thick fog brought her final o
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth taking on water
The recently-commissioned Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is taking on water due to a propeller shaft leak, the Royal Navy has confirmed. A Royal Navy spokesman said the issue with a shaft seal has been identified during the carrier’s sea trials earlier this year. The Royal Navy said
UK’s final F-35B of 2017 arrives
The fourteenth and final F-35B Lightning II to be delivered to UK this year rolled off the production line and flew into Beaufort, South Carolina, to join the Lightning Fleet which will be operated jointly by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. The F-35 Lightning jets will be able to operate on land
German, US Navy EOD units wrap up joint drills
US Navy sailors from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 12 joined their German Navy counterparts for two weeks of EOD training missions at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Nov. 27 through Dec. 11. EODMU 12 and their German counterparts conducted training evolutions