Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St. John’s returned to her homeport in Halifax on July 23 after spending six months deployed to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). Joining SNMG1 on January 18, 2018, the frigate contributed to NATO operations as part of the Canadian operation Reassurance. Duri
The Australian P-8A Poseidon aircraft has achieved another milestone successfully firing its first Harpoon anti-ship missile during exercise RIMPAC 18 off Hawaii. The ATM-84J Harpoon missile was launched from the aircraft to sink its target, decommissioned US Navy ship USS Racine. Australian defense
The Portuguese Navy’s newest Viana do Castelo-class offshore patrol vessel – the NRP Sines – was commissioned in a ceremony at the West Sea Shipyards on July 20. NRP Sines enters service after being launched in May 2017 and completing sea trials a year later, in late May 2018. Portuguese prime minis
Repairs and maintenance will allow the ship to continue to be fully mission capable for the rest of its deployment
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer UMS SKELDAR has unveiled an improved unmanned helicopter at the Farnborough Airshow. With a focus on maritime and naval applications, the new SKELDAR V-200B is a modification of the company’s mid-sized heavy fuel engine VTOL. The SKELDAR V-200B completed it
US Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) mine countermeasure (MCM) units were joined by their Indian Navy counterparts for the start of the 2JA mine countermeasure exercise 2018 near Ominato, Japan, on July 18. 2JA is an annual exercise that, in addition to the US Navy and JMSDF, this y
Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ville de Québec will become the first Royal Canadian Navy ship to deploy with the new CH-148 Cyclone when she gets underway from the Halifax navy base on July 18. The frigate’s departure will also mark the first time the ship is deploying as part of operation Reassurance.
The NH90 Sea Lion helicopters Airbus is constructing for the German Navy entered the qualification phase as the second prototype helicopter performed its first flight in serial configuration on July 10. The event marked the beginning of the helicopter’s qualification phase which will be undertaken t
The US Navy’s most expensive ship ever, aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), arrived at Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, July 14 to begin its post-shakedown availability (PSA) period. The PSA will be a yearlong maintenance and upgrade peri
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan returned to her homeport in Portsmouth after six months of operations as flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). During her time at the helm of SNMG2, Duncan led an international group of frigates, destroyers and patrol ships on operations in the
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose recently sailed to the Baltic Sea for two weeks of exercises as part of a new agreement on military cooperation between the UK and Baltic states. Earlier this month, defense ministers of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and
Australian, Japanese and US units joined forces on July 12 to sink the decommissioned ex-USS Racine (LST-1191) during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) as part of RIMPAC 2018. Live fire from aircraft, a submarine, and land assets sank the former landing ship in waters 15,000 feet deep 55 nautical miles no
Commander Task Force (CTF) 177 kicked off the Southern California (SOCAL) portion of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) with mine warfare training operations which run from June 27 to August 2. CTF 177 is comprised of 26 units with approximately 1,100 personnel representing the United States, Australia
The Royal Australian Navy has welcomed a new Chief of Navy as Vice Admiral Tim Barrett was relieved by Vice Admiral Michael Noonan in a handover ceremony at Blamey Square in Canberra. VADM Barrett told the gathering, his time as Chief has seen significant change to the RAN, thanks to hard work and d
