Two high speed support vessels (HSSV) constructed by Austal for the Royal Navy of Oman have been officially named during a ceremony held at Austal’s Henderson, Australia shipyard April 15. The first vessel – RNOV Al Mubshir (S11) – is on schedule for delivery in the first half of 2016 while the seco
Austal has launched the second high speed support vessel (HSSV) it is building for the Royal Navy of Oman. The Australian company said the vessel was ready for the naming ceremony scheduled for April 15. This second, 72-meter, vessel was built under a US$124.9 million contract the company received i
The Royal Australian Navy has revisited the final resting place of a Japanese midget submarine as part of a program to preserve the Second World War wreck. Involved in the attack on Sydney Harbour which resulted in the sinking of accommodation ferry, HMAS Kuttabul, the location of the submarine was
The Australian Minister for Defence has announced that former HMA Ships Tobruk and Sydney will be offered to Australian states and territories for the creation of dive wrecks. After decades of service in the Royal Australian Navy, Tobruk and Sydney were decommissioned in July 2015 and November 2015
Photos: EUNAVFOR Three Operation Atalanta warships were operating in the Gulf of Aden recently when they took the opportunity to conduct Force Integration Training (FIT). The FIT included a number of naval manoeuvres which served to confirm that the warships were ready in all respects for their coun
Australia and Indonesia concluded a joint maritime security patrol between the two countries’ waters on April 5. Illegal fishing was the focus the fifth coordinated maritime security patrol, code-named Ausindo Corpat 2016. The patrol had elements of the Australian Defence Force unite with the Indone
Republic of Singapore Navy assumed command of the Combined Maritime Forces’ counter piracy unit, the CTF 151, from the Pakistan Navy during a ceremony held at CMF headquarters in Bahrain on March 31. Rear Admiral Cheong Kwok Chien will lead a multi-national team of over thirty people for three month
Seeking to avoid risks and costs of developing its own submarines, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense has identified French DCNS and German TKMS as the main candidates for the construction of Norwegian future submarines. The Ministry of Defense said it made this conclusion after considering economic,
The Philippine armed forces are hosting this year’s Balikatan which is set to run from April 4 – 16 in the province of Antique, Philippines. Balikatan is an annual multi-layered exercise between the Philippines and the U.S. Pacific Command which spans humanitarian and civic assistance events, and jo
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics a $644.3 million contract modification for the planning and construction of Harvey C. Barnum (DDG 124) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. This modification fully funds this ship, which was awarded as part of a multi-year competition for DDG 51 class destroyers
Royal Australian Navy’s first Aegis-equipped Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD), HMAS Hobart, has begun integration and testing of the installed combat system. Testing will be facilitated by Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians who are responsible for testing the Aegis Combat System to ensure the equi
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
Operation Atalanta’s new Force Commander who took command over the force six days ago used the opportunity to meet a Lithuanian Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment as his ship, FGs Bayern, rendezvoused with World Food Programme ship MSM Douro. The Lithuanian team that comprises MSM Douro’s Auton
German Navy Rear Admiral Jan Kaack took over the role of the Force Commander of EUNAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta from the Italian Navy Rear Admiral Stefano Barbieri on March 23. Rear Admiral Kaack will command the EU Naval Force Somalia from his flaghsip, FGS Bayern for five months. Speaking about his