Aviation
Canadian Navy prepares for the arrival of Arctic offshore patrol ships
The Royal Canadian Navy has already selected the first commanding officer for its Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels and preparations are underway for the delivery of HMCS Harry DeWolf in 2018. Lieutenant-Commander Corey Gleason, along with a small preliminary crew, are preparing for the new vessel, one
USS America begins F-35B Lightning II operational testing
F-35B Lightning II aircraft, the U.S. Navy’s next generation of stealth fighter jets, landed on the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) on October 28 to begin operational testing. America will embark seven F-35Bs; two are scheduled to begin the third shipboard phase of developmental test (DT
Photo: Brazilian Navy’s H225M multirole helicopter unveiled in combat configuration
Airbus Helicopters’ Brazilian subsidiary Helibras recently officially presented the Brazilian Navy’s H225M multirole utility helicopter in a naval combat configuration. Developed and assembled locally by Helibras, this new H225M version is equipped with mission capabilities that include anti-surface
Makin Island ARG enters 7th Fleet area of operations
U.S. Navy’s Makin Island amphibious ready group (ARG) and embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations after concluding operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet. While in 7th Fleet, the Makin Island ARG/11th MEU will participate in bilateral training exercises a
Royal Navy tanker refuels French helicopter carrier on counter piracy mission
Royal Navy tanker RFA Gold Rover recently refueled French helicopter carrier FS Dixmude and joined it for a piracy patrol off the Ivory Coast. Joined by Ivory Coast patrol boat Sekongo, the ships patrolled 200 miles of coastline and waters off shore, stretching from the Ivory Coast’s principal port
UK Royal Marines first Merlin MK4 helicopter takes flight
The UK Royal Marines first improved Merlin Mk4 performed its maiden flight earlier in the week at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. Working under a 2014-contract worth £330 million (€400), engineers from Leonardo are converting 25 Royal Air Force AW101 Merlin Mk.3 and Mk3A helicopters to replac
Australian Navy’s new replenishment ships to feature Saab’s combat systems
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has contracted Swedish defense contractor Saab to deliver an integrated combat system for the two new Royal Australian Navy replenishment ships. According to Saab, the contract is worth SEK 226 million (approx US$25 milion). Helicopter control radar and decoy system are
Australian minehunter finds US WWII aircraft 44 meters below surface
The crew of the Australian minehunter HMAS Huon has found a missing American World War II plane during a mine clearance operation in the Solomon Islands. The South West Pacific nation was the scene of bitter fighting between US and Japanese forces from 1942 until 1945. At the request of the United S
US Coast Guard cutter to offload over 2 tons of cocaine in San Diego
The crew of a U.S. Coast Guard ship that seized 5,600 pounds (2,540 kilos) of cocaine and arrested five smugglers in September this year are set to return home to San Diego where they will offload the contraband on October 27. With the assistance of a U.S. Navy aircraft, the crew of Coast Guard Cutt
USS Nimitz sailors test their underway replenishment skills
U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducted its first at-sea ammunition onload in more than two years during an underway replenishment, October 23-24. Nimitz Sailors moved a total of 1,542 pallets from the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8) during the 48-hour,
Spanish frigate concludes six-month stint on counter-piracy operation Atalanta
Spanish frigate ESPS Santa Maria completed her six month deployment with operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia and handed over her duties to another Spanish warship, ESPS Relampago, on October 24. During her deployment, ESPS Santa Maria conducted patrols at sea in the Gulf of Aden and Indian O
Joint Warrior 162 concludes
Allied nations’ warships concluded their participation in the international exercise Joint Warrior 16-2, October 21. The United Kingdom-led and -hosted Joint Warrior series is run by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) from exercise headquarters aboard Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde i
US, UK minehunters team up for Persian Gulf MCM drills
Minehunters from the US and UK kicked off the mine countermeasures exercise 17-1 in the Persian Gulf with a photographic exercise formation on October 19. The bilateral exercise encompassed the full spectrum of mine countermeasures (MCM) from mine detection and identification to mine clearance with
Royal Malaysian Navy picks Danish radars for its Lekiu frigates
The Royal Malaysian Navy has selected Terma’s Scanter 6000 radar as their combined navigation and helicopter control radar for the country’s two Lekiu-class frigates mid-life modernization and service life extension. This is the second radar delivery contract the Danish company has signed during the