Amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and landing platform dock USS New Orleans (LPD 18) will be permanently stationed at Sasebo, Japan, as two US Navy ships already in Japan are returning to their US homeports for overhauls. According to an announcement from April 26, guided-missile destroyer
The Australian defense ministry is deploying a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Japan, from where it will conduct maritime surveillance operations in support of United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea. The aircraft’s mission will be to help monitor and deter ship‑to-sh
HNoMS Maud, the Royal Norwegian Navy’s new logistics and support vessel, arrived to its new homeport of Haakonsvern navy base after a 14,598 nautical mile voyage from South Korea where it was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). Maud arrived in Norway in late March after visitin
The future HMNZS Aotearoa, the biggest ever vessel to be built for the Royal New Zealand Navy, is taking shape and is ready for launch in South Korea. Aetorea is being constructed at Hyundai Heavy Shipbuilding’s Ulsan shipyard and is scheduled to be launched within the next two weeks, according to t
The Royal Australian Air Force has received its eighth Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, Australia’s defense minister announced on April 9. The aircraft number eight had been identified as RAAF’s long-term fatigue management aircraft and had been fitted with a raft of diagnostic equipment, acc
An international search is underway in the Pacific Ocean for a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-35A fighter jet, which disappeared from radar at around 7:30pm local time on April 9. The F-35A lost radar contact approximately 85 miles east of Misawa Air Base. Media reports quoting Japanese mili
Assets from the US Navy and Royal Thai Navy (RTN) kicked off the 8th edition of exercise Guardian Sea in the Andaman Sea on April 7. A US Navy Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine and underway replenishment oiler along with two Thai frigates, a corvette and a Sea Hawk helicopter will take part in
The Australian defense ministry announced it is buying the second of a planned fleet of six MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft. Australia is acquiring the Tritons through a cooperative program with the United States Navy. The MQ-4C is being acquired to complement Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol ai
The Royal Australian Air Force-organized exercise Diamond Shield provided an opportunity for the Australian Navy’s second air warfare destroyer HMAS Brisbane to integrate and operate with the fifth-generation F-35A fighter jet for the first time. Brisbane embarked three Fighter Controllers from the
The Royal Australian Navy’s third Hobart-class air warfare destroyer Sydney is set to enter operations a year earlier than originally planned following an accelerated capability upgrade. As explained, the defense ministry was able to streamline a technical upgrade to the ship during its build at the
Assets from the navies of Japan, the UK and US are scheduled top take part in their second trilateral exercise later this week. The inaugural Asia Pacific exercise took place in December 2018. The drill will take place in the Western Pacific and is scheduled for kick off on March 14. Japan will be r
The Royal Australian Navy kicked off the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 19 (IPE 19) deployment on March 11 as HMA Ships Canberra, Success, Newcastle, and Parramatta set sail from Fremantle in Western Australia. 1000 embarked ADF personnel will carry out a series of engagement activities and military trainin
Japan’s second Asahi-class destroyer, the JS Shiranui, entered Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) service in a ceremony at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Nagasaki Shipyard on February 27. The lead ship in the class was commissioned a year before, on March 8, 2018. The 5,100-ton general-purpose
The Royal Australian Navy’s last Bell 429 helicopter made its final public appearance at the Australian International Airshow 2019 at Avalon, Victoria. Originally commissioned into service in 2012, Navy’s 723 Squadron operated the Bell 429s to maintain and develop the skills of junior helicopter air