The US Navy has awarded unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) manufacturer AeroVironment a $2.5 million contract for further work on the US Navy’s small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) program. The contract follows the first successful launch of a Blackwing UAV from a submerged position and will see the co
An Indian Navy frigate has prevented a possible pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden on October 6. The crew of stealth frigate INS Trishul was escorting merchant vessel MV Jag Amar through the gulf when they noticed a boat carrying out suspicious manoeuvers in the vicinity of the merchant ship. When IN
The Romanian Navy has deployed its flagship frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 for a month of joint operations and exercises. The former Royal Navy Type 22 departed Constanta, Romania, on October 6 and will integrate into the NATO task group for operation Sea Guardian.
In another first on its maiden deployment, the US Navy’s America-class amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) arrived in Eilat, Israel, for a port visit on October 5. The flagship of the America Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is on its first ever visit to the country. “The marines and sailors hav
The US Military Sealift Command ship USNS Comfort has departed San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is now underway standing ready for additional mission assignments. Comfort is currently underway and expected to arrive and provide medical services in the Aricibo-Manati region. While in San Juan, the hospital
A Dutch and a Royal Navy ship recently completed what was termed by the Royal Navy as “the easiest RAS ever”, as support vessel RFA Mounts Bay took on fuel from Dutch ship HNLMS Karel Doorman in the Caribbean. A difficult – potentially dangerous – manoeuvre it’s typically performed mid-Ocean between
The Italian Navy’s first multipurpose offshore patrol vessel (PPA) received its gensets after they passed factory acceptance tests in July this year. Following the FAT, MAN Diesel & Turbo SE delivered four MAN 12V175D generating sets to Fincantieri’s Muggiano Shipyard, where the seven vessels (Pattu
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has started construction of the second Italian Navy multipurpose offshore patrol ship (PPA). The steel-cutting ceremony took place on October 3 at the shipbuilder’s Riva Trigoso, Genova, shipyard. The unit will be delivered in 2022 and is part of the Italian Navy vess
The UK Coastguard on October 4 said it was responding to an explosion aboard a dredging vessel two nautical miles South of Dodman Point, Cornwall. Several persons were injured in the explosion, according to the UK Coast Guard. The service only said the vessel in question was a dredger without provid
UK defense secretary Michael Fallon on Tuesday unveiled a new Royal Navy fleet support model bringing a spate of existing contracts under new, overarching arrangements. Called Common Support Model (CSM), the arrangement will provide a framework for comprehensive support across the Royal Navy’s fleet
Shortly after arriving in Sydney from Vietnam, the Royal Australian Navy’s new aviation training vessel MV Sycamore hosted its first aircraft for flight trials. The Australian Navy’s future training helicopter EC-135 carried out first of class flight trials from MV Sycamore off the eastern seaboard.
An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter embarked on the US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) rescued two civilians after their private plane crashed several miles off the coast of Dominica, September 28. The civilians, coming from French Guadelupe and Antigua, sustained minor injuries and were tra
The Brazilian Navy’s first upgraded Super Lynx Mk21B helicopter has performed its maiden flight from the Yeovil facility in southwest England. The flight success was announced by aerospace and defense company Leonardo which is in charge of upgrading eight Mk21B helicopters under a US$160 million con
Gas turbines for the Royal Australian Navy’s Future Frigate program could be built by Australian RJE Global under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with GE’s Marine Solutions. GE’s Marine Solutions said in an announcement on September 27 that RJE would assemble GE LM2500 gas turbine modules
