Austal’s Alabama, USA, shipyard laid the keel for the U.S. Navy’s future USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) on April 10. USS Cincinnati will be the 20th littoral combat ship and the tenth Independence-variant. Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and ship’s sponsor Penny Pritzker authenticated the keel during the
U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarine USS Providence (SSN 719) returned to the fleet on April 7 after completing a maintenance period that will allow her to complete her remaining scheduled deployments before being retired. The submarine started her pre-inactivation restricted availability (PIRA)
German Navy tanker ‘Spessart’ had to be towed home from UK waters after experiencing problems with its engine during the Joint Warrior drill off Scotland. The 40-year-old ship broke down on March 27 and the extent of damage is yet to be determined, German Kieler Nachrichten reported. Spessart withdr
Filipino fishermen are once again allowed to fish in the contested waters off Scarborough Shoal under Chinese Coast Guard supervision, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman confirmed during a regular press conference on Monday. China has given Filipino fishermen access to the waters, based on the “fr
The U.S.-led humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission Pacific Partnership 2017 has arrived in Malaysia. Embarked aboard Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport USNS Fall River (T-EPF 4), servicemen arrived in Port Klang on April 8. The arrival marks Malaysia’s 1
Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi concluded its participation in the EU NAVFOR-led operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea. The carrier stepped down from its duty as flagship of the mission on April 4, some six month after joining the group. During its time spent with operation
Only weeks after visiting her Swedish Navy counterparts from the Royal Swedish Navy’s 31. corvette squadron, German Navy corvette FGS Ludwigshafen am Rhein joined six Swedish ships for a series of maneuvers and drills. In one of the drills, Ludwigshafen am Rhein was to try and enter Swedish coastal
Ships and personnel from U.S., UK and France have kicked off the two-week multilateral amphibious exercise Alligator Dagger 17. The drill is taking place in international waters off the coast of Djibouti and in the vicinity of Djibouti and Arta Beach, between April 5 and 20. Participating forces inc
U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the Eisenhower carrier strike group have been ready to deploy on short notice ever since they returned from their 2016 deployment. Now, approximately 6,000 sailors are conducting a sustainment exercise (SUSTEX) to maintain their readiness and capability to deploy should
Ships from eight countries have concluded their participation in the Hellenic Navy-led mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise Ariadne 17. The exercise took place between March 31 and April 7. The at-sea phase started April 3 in Greek territorial waters after a planning and harbour phase was conducted a
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded Cohort company SEA a contract to upgrade the ambient noise prediction system (ANPS) for the Royal Navy. The ANPS takes meteorological and oceanographic forecasts, together with oceanographic databases, and performs complex acoustic propagation calculations to p
The Finnish Defence Forces’ Logistics Command announced the names of three shortlisted combat system bidders for its Squadron 2020 project vessels. Of a total of 8 companies competing for the contract, Finland has chosen German Atlas Elektronik GmbH, the Canadian Lockheed Martin Canada Inc and the S
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri launched the bow section of Italian Navy’s new logistic support ship in a March 10 ceremony in Riva Trigoso, Italy. The launched bow section is 94 meters long, 24 meters wide, 16.3 meters high, and weighs about 4.100 tons. It will now be transported by sea to the ship
German Navy tender ‘Main’ is set to return to its homeport in Eckernförde on April 13, concluding her deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. The tender spent six-months resupplying other EU ships deployed to the EU NAVFOR led operation Sophia which fights against human smugglers in the Mediterranean S
