The navies of Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands have signed a contract with Thales for the delivery of new Mode 5 and Mode S identification friend or foe (IFF) systems for their Karel Doorman-class frigates. The upgrade to the latest NATO IFF standard will enable the vessels to perform military
The Croatian Navy performed a test firing of its RBS-15B anti-ship missile, sinking a target vessel in a maneuver conducted as part of the country’s largest military drill since the Croatian War of Independence. The sinking exercise (SINKEX) took place on October 14 in the “Dugi Otok” training range
The Turkey-hosted international mine warfare exercise Nusret 2018 got underway in the Gulf of Izmir on October 16. Turkish minehunters are joined by ships from NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasure Group 2 for ten days of exercises. Nusret 2018 will also welcome autonomous underwater systems and ordna
UK defense technology company Qinetiq has ordered Saab’s integrated communication system, TactiCall, for use at their Shore-based Information Facility (SIF), a testing facility in Portsdown, near Portsmouth in the UK. QinetiQ’s SIF is used to carry out the testing and evaluation of communications eq
US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is currently at pier 14, Naval Station Norfolk, where sailors are performing maintenance in support of the ship’s pierside shipyard availability period. This maintenance phase is designed to ensure Abraham Lincoln is capable of car
BAE Systems has launched HMS Tamar – the fourth of five Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessels – lowering it into the water at its Govan yard. Tamar was then towed three kilometers downstream to the firm’s Scotstoun facility, where fitting out takes place. There she joins the third ship in the
The Royal Thai Navy has contracted engineering and risk management consultancy company BMT a contract to support the Royal Thai Navy’s (RTN) new midget submarine program. From its offices in Bath, UK, BMT will recommend submarine-specific engineering management best practice to help the RTN minimize
EU NAVFOR personnel joined the Chinese PLA(N) (Peoples Liberation Army) Navy for the first combined exercise at China’s new military base in Djibouti. The crew of ITS Federico Martinengo and members of the Chinese PLA(N) based in Djibouti conducted a medical evacuation exercise after EUNAVFOR person
US Navy ships assigned to the Kearsarge amphibious ready group (ARG) completed a live-fire missile exercise (MISSILEX) on October 14. Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) fired one RIM-7P missile from the NATO Sea Sparrow missile launcher and successfully engaged a target simulat
Ships assigned to the US Navy’s Iwo Jima expeditionary strike group (IWOESG) have entered the US 6th Fleet area of operations as part of a deployment in support of NATO exercise Trident Juncture 18. The strike group will join the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group and US 6th Fleet flagship USS Mou
Australian shipbuilder ASC said it is cutting up to 63 jobs as work on the Royal Australian Navy’s Air Warfare Destroyers comes to a close. ASC is currently in the process of delivering ‘Sydney’ – the final of three destroyers in the class and the company said it was reducing the shipbuilding workfo
Royal Fleet Auxiliary amphibious support ship RFA Lyme Bay has arrived at the port of Duqm in Oman to join the Anglo-Omani exercise Saif Sareea 3. The 16,000-ton ship sailed 5,000 miles from Falmouth to Duqm, where Britain has permanent facilities to support naval operations in the region. The port
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was at the center of an important milestone for the F-35 program as an F-35B performed the first ever shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) British test pilot Peter Wilson conducted the landing this weekend. Previously the jets have conducted only
Two Royal Canadian Navy ships will be joining US and Japan Self Defense Force units for exercise Keen Sword which is scheduled to start on October 29. According to the US Navy, this will be the first time Canadian Navy ships are taking part in the maritime portion of the exercise. While the US Navy
