Aviation
Spanish patrol vessel hosts Operation Atalanta force commander
Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, German Navy Rear Admiral Jan Kaack, visited the Spanish warship, ESPS Tornado, in the Gulf of Aden on April 3. The visit was possible as the Operation Atalanta warships were both conducting counter-piracy maneuvers in the region. After a short flight in ESPS Tor
US, ROK Navy hone mine countermeasures skills during Foal Eagle 2016
The U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK) navies engaged in a mine countermeasures exercise, held March 28 – April 1, as part of exercise Foal Eagle 2016. During the exercise, U.S. and ROK Sailors, including explosive ordnance disposal divers, worked together to practice clearing shipping routes and
Philippine Navy acquires two anti-submarine helicopters
The Philippine Department of Defense has signed a contract with Finmeccanica to deliver two AgustaWestland AW159 helicopters to the Philippines Navy. Finmecanica’s UK division of is scheduled to deliver the helicopters in 2018 from the Yeovil plant in the United Kingdom. Valued at over €100m, the or
HMAS Darwin concludes first Middle East patrol
Royal Australian Navy’s Adelaide-class guided missile frigate HMAS Darwin has completed its first patrol in the Middle East region, arriving into the Port of Muscat, Oman. The 23-day patrol within the Combined Maritime Forces will be the ship’s longest single stretch at sea during this deployment. D
Canadian Navy starts experimental ship crewing/deployment program
The Royal Canadian Navy has picked HMCS Montréal for ‘X-ship’ – a program designed to advance innovative naval concepts in all areas of warship deployment, crewing and sustainment. For the next five years, Montréal will have this additional role along with its regular naval requirements. Lieutenant-
British warship shadows Russian naval ships in UK waters
A Royal Navy warship has located and escorted a Russian naval task group which was sailing in British waters, through the English Channel and up the East Coast of the UK, the Royal Navy said. HMS Somerset, a Type 23 Frigate, along with her Merlin helicopter was used to detect and monitor the movemen
RFA Argus completes overhaul after Ebola mission
UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Argus on March 25 departed the Falmouth dock after undergoing a year-long overhaul at A&P’s shipyard. Prior to the overhaul, the 28,000-tonne support ship supported efforts to curb the spread of Ebola in West Africa. During her 172 days in support of Operation Gritroc
HMAS Canberra concludes Fiji relief mission
Royal Australian Navy’s landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra which was deployed to Fiji in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Winston is set to return to Australia March 30. Following a request from the Fijian government, HMAS Canberra was deployed to Fiji on March 1 to deliver humanitarian aid and assis
Royal Navy Merlins train with HMS Ocean
New helicopters that will serve the Royal Marines have joined Britain’s flagship HMS Ocean off the south coast for basic amphibious training. The Sea King helicopters that were recently retired are replaced by the battlefield Merlin, which is, according to the Royal Navy, bigger, faster, more powerf
French warship seizes Somalia-bound weapons
French Navy frigate FS Provence has intercepted a large weapons cache from a small boat (dhow) sailing towards Somalia. Several hundred machine guns, anti-tank weapons and AK47 assault rifles were among the weapons seized from the dhow. The weapons smugglers were spotted heading toward Somalia by Pr
UK provides added funds for Type 26 global combat ship
Adhering to last year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review, the UK Ministry of Defence on March 22 awarded BAE Systems a £472 million (approx $668M) contract to progress the Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme. Key equipment purchases will include diesel generators, sonar domes, which form the b
Indian Navy deploys maritime aircraft to Seychelles
The Indian Navy has deployed a P 8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft to Seychelles on March 20, to conduct surveillance missions in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Seychelles, in accordance with the MoU between the Governments of India and Seychelles. The Indian Navy has, in the past, undertaken surv
Italian Navy picks Rolls-Royce gas turbine for its new landing helicopter deck vessel
British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce signed a contract with Fincantieri to provide MT30 gas turbines to power the Italian Navy’s new multi-purpose amphibious vessel. Two MT30 gas turbines will power the new 20,000 tonne displacement Landing Helicopter Deck (LHD) multi-purpose amphibious vessel, t
DCNS delivers third FREMM frigate to French Navy
French naval defence company DCNS on March 16 delivered the FREMM frigate Languedoc to the French Navy. Languedoc is the fifth FREMM frigate to be built by DCNS and the third intended for the French Navy. The ship was officially accepted by OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation), an int