General Dynamics NASSCO is being awarded a $24,1 contract for littoral combat ships (LCS) sustainment execution in support of LCSs homeported in or visiting San Diego, California. This sustainment execution contract is for both LCS variants. The company will be to provide planned maintenance, facili
Maritime forces from West and North Africa, Europe, and the United States kicked off Exercise Saharan Express 2015, April 20, 2015. Saharan Express 2015, sponsored and facilitated by U.S. Africa Command, is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information-sharing prac
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (USNAVSO)/U.S. 4th Fleet delegates met with members of the Brazilian Navy to discuss upcoming interactions and cooperation efforts between their navies during the U.S. Navy and Brazilian Navy Operational Naval Committee (ONC) conference, March 30 – April 1. ONC Bra
Capt. Francis X. Castellano relieved Capt. Robert D. Katz as commanding officer of guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) during a change-of-command ceremony, April 17. Katz commanded Vella Gulf during a six-month deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. While deployed, Vella Gulf
Royal Navy minehunter HMS Quorn sailed from Portsmouth today, April 20, bound for Glasgow, where she will rendezvous with a NATO task group destined for the Baltic Sea. She will join Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Squadron 1 (SNMCMG1), a multinational force of minehunters conducting exercises in
U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) arrived in Zhanjiang April 20 for a port visit building relationships and reinforcing positive navy-to-navy exchanges with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA(N)) South Sea Fleet. As Blue Ridge moored pierside, members of PLA(N) greeted the ship. Th
The US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) pulls alongside the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE 13) before a replenishment-at-sea. The operation was conducted on April 15, while the vessels were in the Atlantic Ocean. Porter is participa
The Royal Australian Navy helicopter frigate HMAS Anzac arrived in Souda Bay on the island of Crete in Greece on 18 April as part of its deployment on NORTHERN TRIDENT 2015. Anzac departed Sydney on 15 March, and has transited the Southern Ocean, Indian Ocean, Red Sea and the Suez Canal before arriv
Three out of four Royal Canadian Navy vessels will receive a final salute from their current and former sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen on their respective coasts this spring and summer. On September 19, 2014, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), announced the
Austal has been awarded a $11 million order against the previously awarded Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) to provide engineering and management services for advance planning and design in support of the Post Shakedown Availability for Littoral Combat Ship USS Jackson (LCS 6). Under the contract, Aus
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens had the opportunity to virtually tour and interact with the crew of littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) during a video conference call placed from his office April 13. MCPON received a virtual tour of the ship from Command Senior Ch
In March the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and partner nations once more demonstrated the strength of working together to maintain secure and stable sea lanes in the Middle East waterways. In support of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) maritime security and counter-terrorism operations, aircraft f
On Wednesday 15 April, French Navy warship, FS L’Adroit, joined the EU Naval Force to conduct counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. The L’Adroit is a Gowind class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), that can accommodate a helicopter, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a Rigid Hulled Inflatabl
The second of a total of four 125 class frigates for the German Navy is to be christened “Nordrhein-Westfalen” today at the Hamburg site of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Following the christening of the first frigate “Baden-Württemberg” in December 2013 this is a further important milestone in the sh
