The European Commission announced it would examine Fincantieri’s proposed acquisition of Chantiers de l’Atlantique (formerly known as STX France) following a request submitted by France and Germany. The transaction could harm competition at European and global level, the commission said adding that
US Navy amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) arrived in Constanta, Romania, on January 7 for the first scheduled port visit of its Black Sea tour. The Whidbey Island-class ship stopped in Romania after becoming the first US Navy ship to enter Black Sea since the Kerch Strait incide
The French Navy has taken delivery of its second Camcopter S-100 UAS from Austrian unmanned aerial system (UAS) manufacturer Schiebel, France’s defense procurement agency (DGA) has announced. As disclosed, the UAS was delivered in November when it performed its first flight test aboard amphibious as
Ships from the US Navy’s Kearsarge amphibious ready group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) entered the US 6th Fleet area of operations on December 25 for a regularly-scheduled deployment. During its time in theater, the ARG/MEU team and its more than 4,500 sailors and marines
In the third commissioning ceremony in eight days, the Russian Navy welcomed its sixth Project 20380 corvette into the fleet. Corvette Gromkiy joined the Pacific Fleet in a ceremony in Vladivostok on December 25. In the previous two ceremonies this month, Russia commissioned the lead Karakurt-class
Project 22350 frigate Admiral Kasatonov, the Russian Navy’s second Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate, got underway from Saint Petersburg to start builder’s trials. The builder’s trials will take place over a three-week time period during which the ship’s navigation and communications systems, maneuvera
Three days after welcoming the lead Karakurt-class corvette into its fleet, the Russian Navy commissioned first-of-class patrol ship Vasily Bykov in a ceremony on December 20. The Project 22160 patrol ship was commissioned at the Novorossiysk Naval Base on the Black Sea where it will serve as part o
Ships and submarines from the navies of Japan, the UK and US gathered in waters south of Japan for the first trilateral naval exercise on December 21 and 22. Focused on anti-submarine warfare, the exercise featured drills with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Izumo (DDH 183)
After making two narcotics interceptions in late November and early December, Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon has now carried out the largest drug haul in the history of the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). According to CMF, Dragon seized and destroyed just shy of 10,000 kg of illegal n
French missile developer MBDA announced that the Anglo-French Sea Venom-ANL anti-ship missile recently completed another firing trial, bringing the missile program a step closer to production. The latest firing builds on previous two from July 2017 and May 2018. Conducted on November 14 from a Frenc
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) trained with Egyptian Navy vessels after concluding a visit to the Egyptian Navy base in Alexandria on December 4. Although hampered by the weather conditions, the passing exercise consisted of a tactical maneuvering exercise, helicopter operatio
French shipbuilder Naval Group officially opened Alexandria Naval for Maintenance and Industry, its Egyptian subsidiary which will be responsible for the maintenance of Egyptian Navy vessels built and delivered by Naval Group. “The strategic alliance between Naval Group and Egypt contributes activel
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose met her former sister ship as she sailed to South America to mark the 200th anniversary of the Chilean Navy. The former sister ship is ex-HMS Marlborough, which now flies the Chilean flag as CNS Almirante Condell. A second Gulf War veteran, Marlborough was s
The Egyptian Navy has signed an in-service support agreement with Naval Group for the upkeep of Egyptian Navy vessels delivered by the French shipbuilder. The agreement was announced on December 3 at the Egypt Defense and Security Exhibition (EDEX) and lays ground to the contract framing the mainten
