The US and Philippines navies started seven days of interactions as part of maritime training activity (MTA) Sama Sama at Naval Station Ernesto Ogbinar in San Fernando City, Philippines. The week-long engagement kicked off July 9 and will focus on the full spectrum of naval capabilities. Expeditiona
Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) announced it has completed its final critical design review (FCDR) for the US Coast Guard’s offshore patrol cutter (OPC) program. The FCDR was accomplished on June 29, 2018, after a week of discussions, demonstrations, and design presentations by ESG’s design team to
The US Navy has identified the sailor who died from injuries sustained in a small boat incident in the Red Sea on July 8. The sailor, assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), was identified as Ensign Sarah Mitchell, 23, of Feasterville, Pennsylvania. M
The Ukraine-hosted and US Navy-led international exercise Sea Breeze kicked off in Odessa, Ukraine, on July 9. According to the Ukrainian defense ministry, a total of 19 nations are taking part in the drill which is aimed at enhancing interoperability among participating nations and strengthen regio
A US Navy sailor assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) died from injuries sustained during small boat operations on July 8. According to the US Naval Forces Central Command, the sailor was medically evacuated to a hospital in Aqaba, Jordan, and was pronounced dead at 12
US Navy destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) and command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Ukraine ahead of the start of exercise Sea Breeze 2018. Only USS Porter pulled into the Ukrainian port city of Odessa prior to the exercise. The two ships entered the Black Sea on July 6 and July
Japan is likely to send its Izumo-class helicopter carrier to the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean this year as well. The two-month deployment of the 27,000-ton JS Kaga comes as Japan aims to boost its presence in this strategically important region, Reuters reported citing two unnamed Japanese
The US Navy’s tenth expeditionary fast transport vessel Burlington (EPF 10) completed builder’s trials on June 29. The week of trials began dockside at the Austal USA Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. EPF 10 engaged in pierside dock trials with the Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast working with the s
The upgraded Block 2 Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM) recently intercepted a BQM-74E aerial target in a successful flight test, the US Navy announced on July 5. This was the first ESSM flight test to utilize the new Block 2 active guidance seeker-head. ESSM Block 2 will employ both semi-active and
Finland has selected the Israel Aerospace Industries-developed Gabriel anti-ship missile to replace its current MTO85M system. The acquisition of the Israeli missile system was approved by the Finnish defense minister Jussi Niinistö on July 5. The IAI-delivered system will be known as SSM2020 in Fin
Pakistan has entered into an agreement with Turkey for the construction of four MILGEM corvettes, Turkey’s defense minister Nurettin Canikli told reporters in Montenegro on Thursday. According to Turkish media reports, Turkey will be building the corvettes in what the defense minister described as t
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose is scheduled to visit Finland to take part in joint drills and attend the Finnish Navy’s centenary celebrations. Prior to arriving to the Finnish port of Turku, Montrose will conduct two days of exercises in the Northern Baltic Sea. The exercise, which will
The Brazilian Navy has cancelled its participation in the multinational naval drill Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 due to operational schedules. This is according to a report by USNI News, which said the Brazilian Navy’s withdrawal from the exercise was confirmed by the US 3rd Fleet. Brazil was ex
US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) met up with the Egyptian Navy frigate El Zafer (F951) for a passing exercise (PASSEX) in the US 5th Fleet area of operations. PASSEX is an exercise in which multiple ships, operating in close vicinity, practice evolutions together to improv
