The Finnish Defence Forces announced it is issuing a tender for a battle system that is to be supplied for its new Squadron 2020 ice-going offshore patrol vessels. The department’s logistics command will send requests to 12 domestic and foreign companies to participate in the tendering. After the Fe
U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is preparing to take an extended 40-plus-month break for its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) maintenance period after nearly 25 years of service. Throughout the first 25 years of an aircraft carrier’s life, it goes through
The Royal Canadian Navy has selected Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s as the next RCN ship to deploy on NATO’s operation Reassurance in early 2017. The frigate will support the standing NATO maritime group 2 (SNMG 2) in the Mediterranean Sea contributing to regional security and stability. HMCS
A U.S. Navy report on its future naval force requirements is in line with U.S. president Donald Trump’s plans of building a 350-plus ship navy. Trump announced the goal of a 350-ship navy during a speech in September when he said his plan was based on a 2014 Pentagon quadrennial review of projected
U.S. Navy’s Wasp amphibious ready group (ARG) wrapped up its engagement against ISIS in Sirte, Libya and departed the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations on December 16. The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) requested U.S. air strike support to better enable their aligned forces to liberate S
The U.S. Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $51 million contract modification for the first year of life-cycle engineering and support services on the U.S. Navy’s San Antonio (LPD 17) class of amphibious transport docks. Services provided in the contract include post-delivery planning
Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel ESPS Serviola returned to her home port in Ferrol, Spain, after taking part in different cooperation activities in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. The cooperative security activities with regional navies are organized by the Spanish Ministry of Defense and t
Home with just seven days to spare before Christmas Day are the sailors and Royal Marines on RFA Mounts Bay which has completed a marathon deployment in the Mediterranean. The amphibious support ship has been away from home for 349 days as one of the first vessels to deploy in 2016… and last to retu
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter visited the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) pier side in Bahrain Dec. 10, to thank Sailors for their service during their seven-and-a-half month deployment. Carter announced liberty call for the crew, presented challenge coins to Sailors and had lunch with
The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87), part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG), and the embarked detachment from the Swamp Foxes of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 concluded a multi-day port visit to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain, Dec. 11. The port visit com
During a ceremony on December 14th, at the District of Columbia city hall, Secretary of the U.S. Navy, Ray Mabus, formally announced the first ship of the new fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), formerly known as the Ohio-class replacement, will be named USS Columbia (SSBN 826) in honor of th
This week the European Union is marking eight years since it launched its first ever maritime military operation, EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta, in response to a surge in armed pirate attacks on merchant ships and other vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Back in 2008, increasingl
German Navy minesweeper FGS Fulda has concluded her deployment to NATO’s standing mine countermeasures group two and is currently on the way back home. Fulda and her crew are set to enter the Kiel navy base on December 16 after four months at sea. Commanded by Captain lieutenant Michael Montag, the
Spanish Navy’s replenishment oiler ESPS Cantabria has concluded its 71-day deployment to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 and is now returning home. The ship is expected to arrive in the Spanish city of Ferrol on December 15. ESPS Cantabria has sailed more than 15,000 nautical miles, supplied more t
