Article by: Peter Ong The US Navy’s Coastal Riverine Forces (CRF) – comprised of two Coastal Riverine Groups based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Imperial Beach, California – received delivery of its first new Mark VI patrol boat in 2014. Built by SafeBoats International in Bremerton, Washington,
The Indian Navy recently carried out a launch of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) aimed at testing its cooperative engagement capability (CEC). The navy used destroyers Kochi and Chennai for the test, in which the missiles of both ships were controlled by one ship to intercept differe
The Lithuanian-led historical ordnance disposal operation Open Spirit 2019 concluded on May 16 after two weeks of maneuvers. Open Spirit is an international maritime operation led on a rotating basis by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The Lithuanian Navy led the operation in 2019 in coordination with
The 9-nation live-fire integrated air and missile defense exercise Formidable Shield 2019 concluded at the UK defense ministry’s Hebrides Range off Scotland on May 19. The US-led drill helped allies hone interoperability in defending against missiles but it also saw Canadian and French Navy ships ac
Royal Navy amphibious transport dock HMS Albion has deployed to the Baltic Sea where it will lead a multinational task group as part of a UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). All three service branches of the UK armed forces will take part in the first JEF maritime deployment, which started as HM
US Navy guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (DDG 111) and USS Stockdale (DDG 106) returned to their San Diego homeport after operations with the John C. Stennis carrier strike group in the Asia Pacific and Middle East. The destroyers, including detachments from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron
The US State Department has approved sales of MK 54 lightweight torpedoes to the Royal Canadian Navy and SM-2 Block IIIB Standard missiles to the Republic of Korea Navy. The potential sale of lightweight torpedoes to Canada would be worth an estimated $387 million. A total 425 MK 54 lightweight torp
The first Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate to undergo the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP) upgrade has completed the inclining experiment at Henderson Shipyard, Western Australia to test stability. HMAS Arunta underwent the test after more than a year out of the water as p
The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Sikorsky a $1.3 billion contract for the construction and delivery of 12 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the US Marine Corps. The low rate initial production (LRIP) Lots 2 and 3 contract was awarded on May 17. The most powerful helicopter in the Depa
Two US Navy groups operate in US 5th Fleet AOP in show of force amid Iran tensions.
French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R 91) met up with ships from the navies of the US, Australia and Japan for a series of maneuvers in the Bay of Bengal. The exercise involving US destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba (FFH 156) and submar
The US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the navy’s premier science and technology research squadron, Scientific Development Squadron ONE (VXS-1), have unveiled the UV-18 “Twin Otter” as the newest addition to the squadron’s fleet of aircraft research platforms. The UV-18 is the military equivalen
The US Pacific Air Forces hosted exercise Northern Edge 2019 (NE19) kicked off on and above central Alaska ranges and the Gulf of Alaska on May 13. Personnel from US military units stationed in the continental United States and from US installations in the Indo-Pacific will participate with approxim
A 19-ship exercise organized by the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus concluded in Singapore on May 13. Co-organised by Singapore and the Republic of Korea under their co-chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security, the “Maritime Security Field Training Exerc
