Australian Minister for Defence Stephen Smith hosted today his Spanish counterpart Minister Pedro Morenés Eulate, who is staying in a visit to Melbourne. They were joined by the Minister for Defence Materiel, Dr Mike Kelly. Minister Morenés was in Melbourne to conduct bilateral discussions and to pa
The arrival of the iconic 700-tonne forward island of the biggest aircraft carrier ever to be built in Britain, HMS Queen Elizabeth, marked a significant milestone in the construction process of the naval giant. Nevertheless, the very transport of the forward island, which arrived safely in Rosyth o
The crew of frigate HMS Montrose are three weeks into two months of rigorous training off the coast of Devon and Cornwall to prepare them for deployment later this year. The sailors face fire, flood, air raids, submarine attack and other challenges – but have also been letting rip with their 4.5in m
Military leaders of the future have been treated to an exciting demonstration of Royal Naval amphibious power off the South West coast. The Plymouth-based command and control landing ship HMS Bulwark exercised off Devon and Cornwall with Royal Marines in fast boats and landing craft while helicopter
HMS Somerset has welcomed a helicopter on to her flight deck for the first time in 12 months as she continues training after a £20m revamp. A Merlin from 829 Naval Air Squadron – which provides the Royal Navy’s frigate fleet with helicopters to support their missions around the globe – safely landed
For the first time three Fleet Air Arm helicopters have touched down on the back of a Royal Navy destroyer. The trio of Lynx from 702 Naval Air Squadron in Somerset joined HMS Dauntless off the south coast as the fliers get their sea legs. 702 is used to prepare aircrew and engineers who’ve learned
After a 550-mile journey from the south coast, the forward island of HMS Queen Elizabeth has safely arrived in Rosyth to join the rest of the carrier. The iconic 700-tonne structure passed beneath the Forth Rail Bridge at mid-day yesterday and is now in the dockyard, where it will be raised on to th
On Valentine’s Day next week – February 14 – HMS Illustrious will berth alongside the Cruise Liner Terminal for the start of a five-day visit to Liverpool. The last time the huge Helicopter and Commando carrier visited Liverpool was in 2010 for Fly Navy 100, a celebration of 100 years of naval aviat
Agusta Westland has selected Thales as the supplier of compact dipping sonars to equip its Lynx light helicopters for export markets. The latest in Thales’s FLASH range, the FLASH Compact is designed for smaller and lighter helicopters than those already using the FLASH sonar. The FLASH Compact sona
The new patrol vessel HNLMS Friesland left for the Caribbean on January 28. It is the first time that one of the navy’s new patrol vessels is deployed for an operational mission. In addition to protecting the territory of the Kingdom, the ship will also be used for counterdrug operations in the Cari
With her huge White Ensign standing proud on a blustery Winter’s day, HMS Illustrious sails for the first time this year with a busy Spring programme ahead. Since returning from the Mediterranean – where she took part in the Royal Navy’s key autumn deployment, Cougar 12 – last November, the helicopt
The first Fleet Air Arm observers to use the British Navy’s new Avenger training aircraft have successfully passed their course. Four junior officers completed a 16-week course with 750 Naval Air Squadron at Culdrose – and now move on to polishing their newly-learned trade with front-line squadrons.
Sociedad Anónima de Electrónica Submarina (SAES), a Spanish company specialized in underwater acoustics and electronics, has delivered the first Sensor Data Link-Surface Segment (SDL-SS) to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). This is the first formal delivery; SAES will deliver a tota
The Ministry of Defence has today published details of how it will equip the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force over the next 10 years and how this will be funded. For the first time, the government has set out a fully-funded Defence Equipment Plan totalling almost £160 billion. The affordability
