Hollywood actor Gerard Butler visited the Pentagon on Tuesday for a press briefing about a new submarine movie produced in collaboration with the US Navy. Butler plays the commander of the fictional attack sub USS Arkansas in the movie “Hunter-Killer,” due out this week. The movie posits an operatio
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
US defense giants Harris Corporation and L3 Technologies, Inc. announced they have agreed to combine in an all stock merger of equals to create L3 Harris Technologies. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the combined company will be the 6th largest defense company in the US and a top 10 defense com
US Navy divers have completed the removal of fuel oil from the capsized World War II German cruiser, Prinz Eugen, at Enubuj Island in Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Working from aboard US naval ship Salvor, divers from Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 1 completed the undertaking on October 15, after 4
Ships assigned to the Kearsarge amphibious ready group (ARG) departed Naval Station Norfolk on October 13 to start the composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX). COMPTUEX is the final pre-deployment exercise that certifies the ARG’s abilities to conduct military operations at sea and project power
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) will be joining the largest NATO exercise which is set to take place in Norway later this month. This is likely the first time an aircraft carrier will be taking part in Trident Juncture – an exercise whose 2018 edition is often referred to as on
The US Navy announced the names of further two littoral combat ships (LCS) on October 9. The Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer said the next Independence-variant LCS would be named USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) and the next Freedom-variant LCS would be named USS Beloit (LCS 29). Names of LCS 29
Austal USA, the US subsidiary of the Australian shipbuilder, has been awarded an additional $16.5 million contract for service work on one of US Navy’s Independence-class littoral combat ships. Specifically, the United States Department of Defence has awarded Austal USA $16,459,663 for a cost-plus-a
Sailors from the navies of Malaysia and the US kicked off Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Malaysia 2018 in Lumut, Malaysia, October 8. As noted by the US Navy, 2018 marks a significant growth in the relationship between the US and Malaysia as both partner navies expanded their role in this year’s 2
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has completed the sale of HII’s Avondale facility to Avondale Marine, a joint venture between terminal operator T.P. Host and real estate firm Hilco Redevelopment Partners. As part of cost-saving measures, HII announced in 2010 the decision to close the facility,
US Coast Guard’s national security cutter USCGC Strato returned home after a deployment in which operations spanned from the Arctic Ocean to the coasts of South America. Stratton’s crew began their deployment in the Arctic Ocean in support of Coast Guard District Seventeen and operation Arctic Shiel
US Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is ready to start Enduring Promise, an 11-week medical assistance mission conducted with host-nation health and government partners in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Honduras. Comfort is scheduled to depart Norfolk on October 11, en route to South America a
Ships and personnel from the US, Spain, Germany and France concluded the four-day Smart Defense Exercise (SMARTEX) on September 28. SMARTEX is a NATO initiative designed to enhance interoperability and training between participating countries. During the exercise, Spanish sailors embarked aboard the
Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan announced it has awarded Hawboldt Industries two contracts totaling CAD$8 million for work on Canada’s new Joint Support Ships (JSS). This is one of several contracts expected to be announced for Canadian suppliers supporting Seaspan’s work on naval supply ships under th
