The Philippines defense department has contracted South Korean defense company Hanwha Systems for the upgrades of the Philippine Navy’s three Del Pilar-class frigates. The three frigates are former US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutters donated to the Philippines between 2011 and 2016. The upgrade pr
The missile firing took place ahead of the ship’s maiden operational deployment.
Two US Navy ships were not allowed to visit Hong Kong in the wake of anti-government protests in the Chinese special administrative region. This was confirmed to USNI News by a US Pacific Fleet spokesman who said that Chinese officials did not allow amphibious transport dock USS Green Bay (LPD-20) a
US Navy mine warfare specialists from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 and their Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) EOD counterparts recently completed mine warfare exercise (MIWEX) 2JA 2019. MIWEX 2JA is an annual bilateral exercise held between the US and Japan to incre
F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp used the GAU-22 cannon against a simulated target and executed the first shipboard hot reload of ordnance in the Indo-Pacific region while underway in the Solomon Sea. The aircraft from Marine Medium Tiltrotor S
The US state department has approved the sale of twelve MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to the Republic of Korea. The country earlier seemed poised to acquire 12 Leonardo AW159 Wildcat anti-submarine helicopters but South Korea’s defense procurement agency (DAPA) announced earlier this year it woul
The US Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrived in Manila, the Philippines, for a port call on August 7. The carrier arrived together with ships from its carrier strike group, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and USS Antietam (CG 54). T
Thailand’s Bangkok Dock has launched the Royal Thai Navy’s second Krabi-class offshore patrol vessel, the future HTMS Prachuap Khiri Khan (552). The ship, which was built under a licensing agreement with UK’s BAE Systems, was launched on August 2. It is based on the River-class OPVs currently being
Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra has completed trials to transport an M1A1 main battle tank and large vehicle loads ashore using an LHD landing craft. The tests, carried out with the Australian Army’s 3rd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 3rd Combat Service Support Battali
Ships from the navies of the Republic of Singapore and Indonesia are taking part in the 25th edition of exercise Eagle Indopura from July 18 to 25. The exercise is conducted in three phases – the harbor phase in Surabaya, Indonesia; the sea phase in the Java Sea, Karimata Strait and Singapore Strait
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s second Maya-class Aegis destroyer Haguro (DDG 180) was launched in a July 17 ceremony in Yokohama. Built by Japan Marine United (JMU) Corporation, the 170-meter destroyer is an improved version of the Atago-class ships that entered service in 2007 and 2008. Th
The US Navy’s Ronald Reagan Strike Group has arrived in Brisbane, Australia, for a regularly scheduled port visit. The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) pulled into Brisbane July 5, while the Arleigh Burke Class
HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06), the Royal Australian Navy’s last locally built Adelaide class guided missile frigate, has been decommissioned in Sydney. The decomissioning ceremony for the ship was held at Fleet Base East on June 30, 2019, the navy said. The event was a celebration of Newcastle’s dedicated
The ineffective crew training about the use of onboard electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) might have led to the grounding of the Australian Border Force cutter Roebuck Bay, a new investigation shows. In September 2017, the ABFC Roebuck Bay grounded on Henry Reef in the Great Bar
