French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian on Friday authorized shipbuilder DCNS to start the construction of five FTI (Fregate de Taille Intermediaire) medium-size frigates for the French Navy. The 4,000-tonne front-line frigates, equipped for anti-submarine warfare with widened self-defence and
Works on the Royal Navy’s fifth follow-on River-class offshore patrol vessel began with a steel cutting ceremony on Friday, April 21. Tony Douglas, head of UK’s defense procurement organisation, pressed the button to cut the first sheet of steel for the HMS Spey at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Sco
The U.S. Coast Guard received its 23rd fast response cutter (FRC), Benjamin Dailey, in a ceremony in Key West, Florida, on April 20. The Bollinger Shipyards-built FRC will be stationed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is scheduled for commissioning in July. The cutter will be the first FRC stationed
A South Korean Navy ship already patrolling the Horn of Africa as part of an EU-led task force was sent to participate in an international anti-piracy drill that took place in the Gulf of Aden. The Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer ROKS Choe Yeong joined U.S., Japanese and Royal Navy warships i
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is cleared for flight operations after the ship and her carrier air wing completed the blue water certification as part of the composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX). Blue water certification is one of the final qualifications a carrier and associa
The UK Ministry of Defense has announced a new £1.4 billion contract for the construction of the Royal Navy’s sixth Astute-class submarine. Named HMS Agamemnon, the submarine is the sixth of overall seven boats to be built for the Royal Navy. The nuclear-powered submarines are being built by BAE Sys
German Navy frigate and current flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 – FGS Brandenburg – ran aground on Monday morning while departing the port of Piraeus, Greece. The frigate collided with a jetty and sustained considerable damage. According to German media, FGS Brandenburg damaged her rudd
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat took part in exercises with People’s Liberation Army – Navy Type 054A frigate Huangshan after concluding a visit to Zhanjiang port. Conducted in the South China Sea, the activities included surface target firing, a search and rescue exercise, communication
The U.S. Navy’s amphibious ready group assembled around the aviation-centered amphibious assault ship USS America completed a 12-day integrated training event with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) off the coast of Southern California. The amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), the amph
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft squadron completed a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations (AOO) as the last P-8A Poseidon returned to Naval Air Station Jacksonville on April 8, 2017. The “Pelicans” of Patrol Squadron 45 (VP-45), attached to Commander, Ta
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a $113 million contract to perform work on the Standard Missile in use by the U.S. and other ally navies. Under the contract, Raytheon will be performing engineering and technical services on Standard Missile 2, 3, and 6 for fis
Sailors and marines aboard the U.S. Navy’s Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45) arrived in Port Moresby, April 15, for a theater security cooperation (TSC) engagement with the Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF). During the visit, U.S. marines and sailors are training alon
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded BAE Systems Land & Armaments a $40 million contract ordering more Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS) canisters for its guided missile cruisers and destroyers. The contract modification also includes orders for ally navy platforms. Mk 41 VLS is used to l
Reducing the service life of major Royal Australian Navy ships from 30 to 20 years could prove beneficial both for the navy and the Australian shipbuilding industry, a study carried out by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) suggests. The study was done in light of current Australian Na
