HMAS Hobart, the first of three Royal Australian Navy Aegis-equipped air warfare destroyers, has started builder’s sea trials leaving ASC’s Osborne, South Australia shipyard for the first time. A number of alongside dock trials in preparation for Hobart’s first departure to sea were carried out, inc
U.S. ships and aircraft used live fire munition to sink a decommissioned U.S. Navy guided missile frigate in waters 30,000 feet deep and 117 nautical miles northeast of Guam on September 13. The boat sank in five hours after sustaining 22 missile hits, finally succumbing to hellfire missiles shots b
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond joined the European operation Sophia by replacing HMS Enterprise, another Royal Navy ship which was part of the mission for several months. Royal Marines and Royal Navy sailors from HMS Diamond conducted their final boarding exercise with HMS Enterprise pri
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Perth and its embarked MH-60R helicopter took part in a search and rescue off the coast of Seychelles for the first time on August 14. Two survivors were located by Perth’s MH-60R helicopter, call sign ‘Hellcat’, and were recovered by a civilian yacht. According to
The U.S. Marine’s F-35 Lightning II and the Navy’s Aegis air and missile defense weapon system worked together for the first time during a live fire exercise. According to Lockheed Martin, the company involved in the production of both systems, the event successfully demonstrated the integration of
Royal Australian Navy chief Vice Admiral Tim Barrett accepted the last of Navy’s 24 MH-60R maritime combat helicopters during a ceremony at Lockheed-Martin’s Logistics and Maintenance Facility at Nowra’s Aviation Technology Park on September 12. The Commonwealth of Australia chose the Romeo in June
A contingent of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 staff embarked aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) on September 11, to serve as the sea combat commander (SCC) for the expeditionary strike group during the upcoming joint exercise Valiant Shield. This will be the second time DESR
The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) helped U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) conduct an emergency medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) of a sailor in need of medical attention on September 11. At approximately 11 a.m., Decatur notified Commander, Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 15 that a sail
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Charlottetown, currently part of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2, recently conducted a cooperative boarding on the Togolese flag merchant vessel (MV) Byblos as part of NATO’s counter-terrorism Operation Active Endeavour. HMCS Charlottetown (FFH 339) conducted this c
U.S. Navy’s Boxer Amphibious Ready Group is set to return to Naval Base San Diego from a seven-month deployment, Sept. 12. BOXARG is made up of amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), and amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Northrop Grumman a $108,118,000 contract to deliver another ten Fire Scout MQ-8C unmanned air systems. Fire Scout is an unmanned helicopter system that provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to the U.S. Navy. There are tw
One of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) newly acquired fleet of Seasprite helicopters is embarking on its first operational mission with an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) to help transport 23 government staff and about seven tonnes of vital equipment and supplies to the remote Kermadec Island
In late August, the US Navy staged an anti-submarine warfare drill in the Arabian Sea which was joined by British, French and Australian Navy assets. Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Perth joined USS Nitze and USS Mason which also had MH-60R flights embarked. Also involved were the Los Angeles cla
A Russian SU-27 Flanker fighter jet came within 10 feet (3 meters) of a U.S. Navy P-8A maritime reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea on September 7, U.S. Navy officials said. Navy spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said the incident, which lasted 19 minutes and took place in international airspace, was c
