Aviation
US Navy eyeing procurement of 17 presidential helicopters
The US Navy is considering an acquisition of the full fleet of new presidential helicopters, Marine Corps program manager for the VH-92 program Col. Eric J. Ropella disclosed at the 2018 Sea Air Space Exposition, April 9. The news comes four years into a $1.2 billion contract for the new VH-92 presi
USCGC Harriet Lane seizes 8 tons of cocaine in three months in Pacific
US Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane has seized approximately 7.8 tons of cocaine during its three-month stint in the Eastern Pacific. The ship wrapped up its patrols and returned to homeport on April 8. The drugs were seized from nine suspected drug smuggling vessels and are valued at more than $260
One dead as Italian Navy helicopter crashes in the Mediterranean
An Italian Navy Agusta-Bell AB 212ASW helicopter with five on board crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on April 5, the Italian Navy has informed. All five Italian Navy personnel from the helicopter were recovered immediately recovered but one crew member died during resuscitation attempts, the navy
US amphibious drill off Djibouti canceled after two crashes
US Navy and Marine Corps have cancelled the Alligator Dagger amphibious drill taking place off Djibouti after two back-to-back aircraft crashes. In addition to halting Alligator Dagger maneuvers, the US Naval Forces Central Command also cancelled all air operations in Djibouti after two separate avi
Navantia cuts steel for second Australian Navy replenishment oiler
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia officially started construction works on the second Royal Australian Navy auxiliary and replenishment oiler (AOR) with a steel cutting ceremony on April 4. First steel for the ship was cut at the company’s Fene facility in northwestern Spain. According to Navantia, const
Meteoro departs Spain to join Op Atalanta
Spanish Navy’s ESPS Meteoro is joining the European Union Naval Force’s (EUNAVFOR) Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean. The offshore patrol vessel departed the Military Arsenal of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on April 1, 2018, the navy informed. As explained, the deployment of Meteoro is part of th
Dutch Navy amphibious ship joins NATO operation Sea Guardian
HNLMS Karel Doorman, the Royal Netherlands Navy’s multi-purpose amphibious ship, got underway from its Den Helder homeport on April 4 to join the NATO-led operation Sea Guardian. Karel Doorman will spend the next nine weeks patrolling the Mediterranean Sea monitoring patterns-of-life to detect suspi
First Australian Navy all-female team secures MRH-90 helicopter on HMAS Adelaide
A group of Royal Australian Navy aviation support trainees recently became the first all-female team to secure an aircraft on the deck of a Royal Australian Navy ship. The team was part of a group of 14 trainees and their instructors from HMAS Albatross who joined landing helicopter dock HMAS Adelai
Crewman of USS Georgia submarine evacuated off Spain
A crewman has been medevacked from the US Navy submarine USS Georgia off Cartagena, Spain, the country’s maritime safety agency Salvamento Maritimo said. As informed, the medical evacuation was carried out in the morning hours of March 28. Salvamento Maritimo said the crewman was evacuated as it los
Anzac departs Sydney for South East Asia deployment
The Royal Australian Navy helicopter frigate HMAS Anzac has departed Sydney on a three-month deployment to South East Asia. As informed, the ship will visit a number of ports while deployed in order to strengthen relationships and interoperability with some of Australia’s close partners in the regio
US cruiser rescues fishermen during carrier strike group drills
US Navy’s guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) rescued three fishermen off the coast of Georgia while taking part in pre-deployment preparations. On March 27, USS Hue City was notified by the US Coast Guard and guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) that a small craft in their vicinit
Royal Navy decommissions HMS Ocean
Royal Navy’s former fleet flagship and helicopter carrier HMS Ocean was decommissioned on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by Her Majesty The Queen at the Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth. Queen Elizabeth, who is the ship’s lady sponsor, inspected the sailors and was later transported on an aircraft l
Schiebel’s Camcopter UAS completes Australian Navy testing
The Royal Australian Navy has completed validation and verification trials of Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 unmanned air system (UAS), the UAS manufacturer has announced. According to Schiebel, the S-100 was equipped with a Wescam MX-10S payload showcasing its ability to deliver imagery to commanders.
French destroyer FS Jean de Vienne seizes further 530 kilos of heroine in Arabian Sea
French Navy destroyer FS Jean de Vienne intercepted 570 kilos of heroine from a dhow in the Arabian Sea, achieving its second successful drug interception on its deployment as part of the Combined Maritime Forces. The operation took place on March 25 in international waters of the Arabian Sea. Jean