Royal Canadian Navy’s frigate HMCS St. John’s officially became part of NATO’s standing maritime group two on January 11. The frigate is on her way to the Mediterranean Sea where she will represent Canada’s support to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe. HMCS St. Joh
The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon a $19.2 million contract modification for the delivery of another seven configuration D multi-spectral targeting systems (MTS). The MTS is an airborne, electro-optic, forward-looking infra-red, turreted sensor package that provides long-range surveillance, high alt
The U.S. Navy has awarded Insitu a $70.8 million contract modification under which it is procuring six Blackjack unmanned aircraft systems. Three of the full rate production Lot I RQ-21A UAS will go to the navy and the other three to the marines. The UAS consists of air vehicles, ground control stat
U.S. Navy’s final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush was launched on this day, January 10, at the Newport News shipyard, Virginia. The 332-meter-long, nuclear-powered ship was laid down on May 19, 2003 and launched on October 9, 2006 with Dorothy W.B. Koch, daughter of President Bush
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Mahan fired three warning shots at Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels after they came within 800 meters of the ship on January 8. The incident took place in the Strait of Hormuz and involved the U.S. Navy destroyer and four Iranian vessels,
The U.S. Navy accepted its 50th P-8A Poseidon (P-8A) maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida on January 5. The Navy’s Poseidon is replacing the legacy P-3 Orion and will improve an operator’s ability to efficiently conduct anti-submarine warf
The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command has awarded Boston Ship Repair a $17.2 million contract for a 75-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). Work on the Military Sealift Command-operated hospital ship will include servicing of gener
Sailors from Japanese destroyer JS Yuugiri (DD 153) and U.S. Navy’s USS Shiloh (CG 67) met at sea to exchange holiday gifts on December 28. A week before, sailors from Japanese helicopter carrier JS Izumo visited U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan for a gift exchange and ship tour. During the m
The U.S. Navy’s unmanned helicopter, MQ-8B Fire Scout, celebrated 10 years of flight on December 18, during a ceremony at Webster Field Annex, Maryland. The helicopter flew 15,000 hours during test and real-world operations since its first flight ten years ago. Fire Scout’s next variant, the MQ-8C w
U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) concluded its participation in the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) and returned to its homeport of Everett, Washington, on December 23. During the two-month underway, Sampson became the first U.S. warship to visit New Zealand in
The U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center has awarded Lockheed Martin a $150.9 million contract for the Target Sight System (TSS) on the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter. The TSS is a large-aperture midwave forward-looking infrared sensor with a laser designator/rangefinder turret. The system provides the
Both James T. Kirk and James A. Kirk were commanders of a super-advanced ‘ship’. The former was at the helm of starship USS Enterprise while the latter commanded the U.S. Navy most modern destroyer, the USS Zumwalt. During a change of command ceremony in San Diego, California, Capt. James A. Kirk wa
The U.S. Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $1.46 billion contract to design and build the U.S. Navy’s new amphibious transport dock Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). USS Fort Lauderdale will be the 12th and final ship of the U.S. Navy’s San Antonio-class of amphibious transport ships. Ingalls
U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is preparing to take an extended 40-plus-month break for its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) maintenance period after nearly 25 years of service. Throughout the first 25 years of an aircraft carrier’s life, it goes through
