The US defense department has decided to withdraw its invitation for China to take part in the upcoming large-scale exercise Rim of the Pacific in Hawaii. This was announced by Pentagon spokesman Marine Lt. Col. Christopher Logan who said the decision was part of the US response to China’s actions i
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile-destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) arrived at US Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka to join the forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) in Japan. The arrival of Milius to the 7th Fleet on Tuesday, May 22, adds another upgraded Aegis Baseline 9 destroyer to the wa
Spain’s Navantia S.A. transferred the intellectual property for the Hobart-class family of warships to Navantia Australia, giving Australia sovereign control over its air warfare destroyer (AWD) capability. Navantia S.A. chairman José Esteban Garcia Vilasanchez formally transferred the intellectual
Three Indian Navy ships from the Eastern Naval Command arrived in Danang, Vietnam, on May 21 for a four day visit. The task group composed of a frigate, corvette and a tanker are en route to Guam where they are to take part in the Indo-US naval exercise Malabar alongside ships from the US Navy and [
Naval personnel aboard US Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy and fast transport ship USNS Brunswick have arrived in Vietnam and Thailand for the final mission stops of this year’s edition of the international humanitarian and disaster response exercise Pacific Partnership. Engagements kicked off in Khanh
The bi-annual Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA)-nation exercise Bersama Shield took place in the sea and skies of Malaysia and Singapore and concluded May 15. Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom participated in the exercise, focusing on the conduct of a combined j
Navantia Australia and BAE Systems have signed a contract for the maintenance of Royal Australian Navy Hobart-class air warfare destroyers. According to Navantia, the agreement for “platform system design and engineering assurance services” was signed at the Garden Island Naval Base on Tuesday, 15 M
Naval Group Australia on May 18 announced that its board of directors appointed John Davis as the chief executive officer (CEO) and Future Submarine program director. According to Naval Group, the appointment will become effective 1 July 2018. John Davis will be in charge of the delivering a fleet o
Royal Australian Navy ships have arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia, to take part in the French-led disaster response exercise Croix du Sud. Amphibious landing ship HMAS Choules and Coastal Mine Hunters HMAS Gascoyne and Yarra will join French and Royal New Zealand Navy ships for the exercise which is
The US-led humanitarian assistance and disaster relief readiness exercise Pacific Partnership 2018 arrived in Vietnam as personnel aboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in Nha Trang on May 17. This year’s Pacific Partnership mission in Nha Trang will be joined by personnel from the J
US Military Sealift Command operated ships USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and USNS Brunswick (T-EPF 6) met with the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Vancouver while underway in Asia Pacific, on May 15. While it was not stated, the exercise likely took place in the South China Sea as hospital ship USNS Mercy d
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga and her combined engineering support team (WCEST) have recently completed a scheduled maintenance period in Bahrain. It is only the second time an engineering support team has been deployed to the Middle East region and follows the success of last year’s
Maritime engineering consultancy BMT Australia opened a new office in Adelaide, South Australia, in a ceremony on May 14. The ceremony was attended by Australian defense industry minister Christopher Pyne who formally opened the company office. Minister Pyne welcomed the company’s expansion to Adela
Australian shipbuilder Austal will not be taking part in the construction of 12 offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Australian Navy, according to a May 11 statement from Luerssen – the prime contractor on the project. The announcement follows months of negotiations between the two sides. In Novemb
