Aviation
MAG Aerospace boosts naval UAV presence with Ausley acquisition
Virginia-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance specialist MAG Aerospace (MAG) has acquired Ausley Associates to boost its naval unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) services offering. MAG said the acquisition adds over 200 system engineering, program management, and logistics professionals t
Spain deploys Aegis frigate Cristóbal Colón to NATO’s SNMG2
Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Cristóbal Colón got underway from her homeport in Ferrol on August 25 to join NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegis-equipped frigate will first contribute to the maritime situational awareness picture and counter-terrorism operations in the
India clears purchase of 24 ASW helicopters
India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the procurement of 24 new anti-submarine warfare capable, multi-role helicopters (MRHs) for the Indian Navy. According to earlier reports, the helicopters in question are Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, which are expected
Brazil’s new helicopter carrier arrives home
The Brazilian Navy’s new helicopter carrier PHM Atlântico (A 140) arrived at her homeport in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday after a 25-day voyage from Plymouth, UK. The former Royal Navy ship (ex-HMS Ocean) was refitted in Plymouth before the Brazilian crew underwent Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) ahe
Multinational maritime drill SEACAT kicks off in Singapore
A nine-nation maritime domain awareness exercise kicked off in Singapore on August 27. Named Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT), the exercise is aimed at developing a common understanding of what is going on in the maritime environment and how best to operate as an effective unified ma
Russian frigate Admiral Makarov transits English Channel en route to Black Sea homeport
Russia’s third Project 11356 frigate, the Admiral Makarov, transited the English Channel on August 20 as she sails for her new homeport in the Black Sea. The 4,000-ton Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate was escorted through the Channel by Portsmouth-based minehunter HMS Hurworth and a Wildcat HMA2 he
Qatar’s $3.7 billion NH90 helicopter contract finalized
Italian defense and aerospace contractor Leonardo announced that its $3.7 billion contract to deliver 28 NH90 medium twin-engine multirole military helicopters to Qatar has been finalized. While initially signed on March 14, 2018, the contract for 16 NH90s in tactical transport (TTH) configuration a
US Navy sending hospital ship to Colombia in response to refugee crisis
The US Navy is expected to dispatch a hospital ship to Colombia with the aim of helping local health workers respond to an ever increasing number of Venezuelan refugees arriving in Colombia and other South American countries. The deployment of USNS Comfort was confirmed by US defense secretary Jim M
US Marine missing from USS Essex identified, declared deceased
The US Navy has identified a Marine who was reported missing from the USS Essex on August 9 has been identified as Cpl. Jonathan Currier. After a five-day search in the Mindanao Sea, which involved the Essex amphibious ready group (ARG) and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in addition to Phi
HMS Queen Elizabeth setting sail for four months of F-35B trials off US coast
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to get underway from HMNB Portsmouth on Saturday for her first-of-class F-35B flight trials. The deployment is dubbed Westlant 18 and will see the carrier spend four months off the Eastern Seaboard of the United States with the aim of deve
Australia receives P-8A Poseidon simulator training facility
Australia’s future P-8A Poseidon pilots are set to benefit from a new simulator and training systems facility at RAAF Base Edinburgh after it was officially handed over to the defense department on August 17. Australian defense minister Marise Payne said the advanced P-8A training system would bette
Dutch OPV nabs 406 kilos of cocaine in Caribbean Sea
The Royal Netherlands Navy offshore patrol vessel HNLMS Friesland has seized 406 kilos of cocaine from a vessel in a joint operation with the Sint Maarten coast guard. The drugs were seized on Thursday after a suspect vessel was spotted by Friesland’s NH90 helicopter. According to the Dutch Navy, th
US Navy gets funds for 13 new vessels under 2019 defense bill
US president Donald J. Trump has signed a $717 billion National Defense Authorization Act under which the US Navy would get funds for a total of 13 new vessels. Signed by the president at a ceremony at Fort Drum, New York, August 13, the NDAA includes funds for three littoral combat ships, a fourth
Israel-hosted exercise Reliant Mermaid 2018 comes to an end
Sailors aboard the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) concluded participation in exercise Reliant Mermaid 2018, a maritime search and rescue and anti-terrorism force protection exercise on August 8, 2018. The drill, hosted by the Israel Defense Forces, is desi