Despite being landlocked, Switzerland has been maintaining a small navy force of 11 Acquarius-class patrol boats used to patrol lakes Konstanz and Geneva, which form the country’s international boundaries. According to local media, Switzerland is now set to acquire 14 Watercat 1250 Patrol boats from
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke and four Typhoon jets will deploy to the Baltic later this month to support NATO security efforts in the eastern Europe. HMS Iron Duke is due to return to the Baltic region after participating in the bi-annual, multinational Exercise Joint Warrior off the c
Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton, assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) entered the Black Sea on March 30 to train with Turkish, Bulgarian and Romanian Navy vessels. During the month of April, HMCS Fredericton will conduct operations in concert with Romanian
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics a $644.3 million contract modification for the planning and construction of Harvey C. Barnum (DDG 124) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. This modification fully funds this ship, which was awarded as part of a multi-year competition for DDG 51 class destroyers
Qatar Emiri Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Qatari LNG shipping company Nakilat for the establishment of a national naval centre for simulator training. The signed MoU will also allow the Navy forces to train on board Nakilat’s fleet of vessels, the shipping company informed t
German Navy submarine U 34 left its homeport in Eckernförde, Germany on March 30 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1. The submarine is headed for Scotland where it will meet with the group ahead the Joint Warrior exercise scheduled to take place from April 11 – 22. Apart from SNMG 1 the exerc
A Royal Navy warship has located and escorted a Russian naval task group which was sailing in British waters, through the English Channel and up the East Coast of the UK, the Royal Navy said. HMS Somerset, a Type 23 Frigate, along with her Merlin helicopter was used to detect and monitor the movemen
U.S. Navy ship Blue Ridge changed command during a port visit to Sri Lanka on March 29. Captain Matthew Paradise relieved Captain Kyle P. Higgins as commanding officer of the Command-class ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). Higgins served as commanding officer for over 14 months, leading the ship and cre
Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), under the command of Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Jose Enrique Delgado, visited Riga, Latvia, for a scheduled port visit last week. The group is currently deployed to the North and Baltic Seas. SNMG1 is currently composed of three ships: the Spanish F100 class fr
The U.S. Navy has selected General Dynamics’ Electric Boat as the prime contractor to design and deliver 12 Ohio-Replacement submarines. In its Submarine Unified Build Strategy (SUBS), the U.S. Navy has outlined a way to keep the OR programme on schedule without neglecting the Virginia-class constru
Dr. Janine Davidson was sworn in as the 32nd under secretary of the Navy March 22. Davidson serves as the Navy’s chief management officer and performs other duties assigned by the secretary of the Navy. A former Air Force pilot and Pentagon official, Davidson brings nearly 30 years of experience in
Spanish Navy minesweeper ESPS Tambre concluded its deployment to the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 and returned to Cartagena, Spain on March 28. The Segura-class minesweeper spent two months integrated into the maritime group which was comprised of ships from different NATO member stat
The U.S. Navy announced March 22 that the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile destroyer USS Chosin (CG 65) will change its homeport from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to San Diego and reduce its operating status as it undergoes the Navy’s Cruiser modernization program. The ship will be considered on deployment
Photos: Belgian Navy Belgian Navy’s minehunter BNS Primula officially joined the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 1 on March 14 and on March 21 began its deployment as it, together with other ships from the group, sailed out of the Zeebruge harbor in Belgium. During the three months the shi
