US Navy’s forward-deployed command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) completed her dry dock maintenance, undocking and mooring pierside at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on January 21. Blue Ridge is the oldest operational US Navy ship and this dry-docking period extended her life by approximately 20-plus year
The Royal Australian Navy has teamed with the Australian Army and industry to set up a new training system for a joint helicopter school. Rotary wing crews are now set to benefit from the newly-established Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) at a dedicated facility at HMAS Albatross. The first
The US State Department has approved the sale of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) anti-ballistic missiles to the the government of Japan, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on January 9. Japan’s order is worth an estimated $133.3 million and includes four Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block I
The joint venture team composed of UK defense contractor Babcock and Australia’s UGL has been awarded a new five year agreement for the maintenance of Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigates. Under a contract worth around £115 million (AU$200 million), the Naval Ship Management (NSM) joint vent
The Australian government on December 13 announced a AU$20 million contract for the upkeep of Royal Australian Navy air warfare destroyers. The contract, awarded to BAE Systems and Raytheon Australia, will see the creation of 50 new jobs at Raytheon’s Macquarie Park facility in Sydney. Today’s annou
Royal Australian Navy base HMAS Cairns will be undergoing a $300 million upgrade to accommodate new offshore patrol vessels to be built under German shipbuilder Lurssen as prime contractor. HMAS Cairns will be home to four of the new vessels. The upgrades were announced by member of the House of Rep
An AUD $367 million project to upgrade the Royal Australian Navy base HMAS Stirling got underway on November 10 as Australia’s defense minister Marise Payne and Western Australia senator Slade Brockman joined the sod-turning ceremony to mark the ceremonial start of the upgrade. Located on Garden Isl
The UK defense ministry is considering the use of an Australian-developed radar on future Royal Navy ships. The announcement was made by UK under secretary of state for defense procurement, Harriet Baldwin during her visit to Adelaide on Friday. Baldwin said the UK would conduct a capability study t
Israel-based technology company Controp Precision Technologies announced it has been awarded a contract to provide a significant number of maritime EO/IR payloads to the Vietnamese Navy. The company added that this is a follow-on order of a previous order made three years ago. The iSea-40HD systems
The Australian government announced AU$200 million in funding for upgrades to the Australian-developed Nulka anti-ship missile decoy in use by the Australian and ally navies. Nulka is a rocket propelled active missile decoy designed to entice hostile radio frequency guided anti-ship missiles away fr
Two Australian companies have received contracts for work on the UK Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates, Australian defense industry minister announced November 2. Christopher Pyne said Type 26 main contractor BAE Systems chose Tasmanian-based Liferaft Systems Australia to provide the ship’s Marine Ev
The Australian defense department has contracted Leonardo to deliver its information management software for the upgrade of the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarine fleet. The contract, called ‘Submarine Communication Information Exchange Management’ (SCIEM), is part of Australia’s Projec
Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigates are getting upgraded air search radars which are to be delivered by CEA Technologies under a A$148 million contract. The frigates will be receiving the new CEAFAR2-L radar as part of a larger Mid-Life Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP). AMCAP will modif
Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines are set to receive upgraded control and communications systems under two separate contracts announced by the Australian government on October 4. The first project addresses obsolescence in the control system to allow safe operation of the submarines,
