The U.S. Navy’s future guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) departed Bath, Maine to conduct acceptance trials with the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) on April 20. While underway, many of the ship’s key systems and technologies including navigation, propulsion readiness, au
Belgian Navy’s multi-purpose frigate Louise Marie F931 has returned to its homeport in Zeebrugge, Belgium, after undergoing modernization in the Netherlands. The frigate was docked in Den Helder, where she was fitted with new weapons and communications. BNS Louise Marie will now be performing operat
Dutch electrical systems provider Alewijnse Marine Systems was awarded a contract for the refit of key electrical systems on board RV Belgica, an oceanographic research vessel owned by the Belgian state. Back in 2015, Alewijnse completed electrical repairs on the vessel and launched a year-long rese
The Seapower Subcommittee, an arm of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, wants the U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding budget to be increased to $20,6 billion which, if authorized, would be the highest level of shipbuilding funding, accounting for inflation, since President Reagan was in office. The subco
U.S. Navy’s Great Green Fleet project platform, the John C. Stennis Strike Group arrived in Singapore for a regularly scheduled port visit April 19. The Strike Group, centered around the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier, counts a total 8,500 sailors assigned. USS John C. Stennis moored at Changi
Swiss-based ABB has received a contract to modernize the 38 year old Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Pierre Radisson. The cutter will be fitted with hardware and software within the ship’s power distribution system upgrade which will include eight new drives. ABB said the contract included an option
The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) and Kongsberg have renewed their maritime simulation co-operation with the March 2016 signing of a new framework agreement, including a ten year ‘Long Term System Support Program’ (LTSSP) extension. Under the contract DALO will have ac
The Indian Navy’s first nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant is reportedly undergoing additional sea acceptance tests. The submarine was launched in 2009 and declared operational in February 2016. “INS Arihant is undergoing sea acceptance trials as it had already passed several deep sea diving dril
Sailors aboard the U.S. Navy’s mine counter measures ship USS Sentry (MCM 3) successfully piloted an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) mounted with live explosives to destroy a training mine during International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX). Run every couple of years, IMCMEX is often dubbe
Representatives from the navies of 27 nations met at Naval War College’s latest regional alumni symposium held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, to discuss issues facing the group and how to meet common challenges. From April 12-14, the represented nations, mostly European and North American, disc
Several Spanish Navy ships recently participated in exercise MAR-41 which took place in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Strait of Gibraltar. Two Santa María-class frigates, Santa María (F-81) and Reina Sofía (F-84) used the opportunity to prepare for their upcoming deployments to Operation Atalanta and Op
Austal, the West Australian shipbuilding company, is the first to benefit from the Australian shipbuilding program outlined in the recently released Defence White Paper. The company said that it was awarded preferred tenderer status by the Commonwealth of Australia for the Pacific Patrol Boats Repla
Exercise Bersama Shield, an annual Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Field Training Exercise, started April 18. The exercise is attended by the founding members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements: Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom. More than 200 Australian D
The Indonesian-hosted international naval exercise Komodo 2016 concluded on April 16 as the ships concluded the sea phase of the exercise. The sea phase lasted for 5 days in waters off Padang and Mentawai, Indonesia. It comprised maritime peace keeping and HA/DR operations and exercise series such a
