The Australian Navy’s fleet of Future Frigates are to be equipped with the Aegis combat systems, the Australian government announced on October 3. The Aegis will be coupled with a tactical interface developed by SAAB Australia. The government said this decision is aimed at maximizing the frigate’s a
Warships taking part in the UK-hosted multinational drill Joint Warrior got underway on October 1 for a fortnight of exercises off the coast of Scotland. This is the second time this year the biannual drill is being held. The first one took place in March and featured or incorporated Information War
US Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) anchored in Hong Kong Harbor together with guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) on October 2. The ships arrived in Hong Kong for a regular port call during their regional patrol. “The sailors and airmen of Carrier Strike
The Royal New Zealand Navy has contracted Saab to deliver their TactiCall communications system for New Zealand’s future fleet tanker. The new Maritime Sustainment Capability vessel, HMNZS Aotearoa, will be fitted with the integrated communications system which interconnects communication technologi
US defense contractor Lockheed Martin Space Systems has been awarded a $418.6 million contract to manufacture additional Trident II (D5) missiles. The US defense department did not specify the exact quantity of missiles to be built and the contract has options which could drive its value up to over
The Brazilian Navy’s first upgraded Super Lynx Mk21B helicopter has performed its maiden flight from the Yeovil facility in southwest England. The flight success was announced by aerospace and defense company Leonardo which is in charge of upgrading eight Mk21B helicopters under a US$160 million con
The US Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works a contract modification fully funding the construction of two new Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, DDG 126 and DDG 127. DDG 126 was awarded under the contract that was part of a multi-year competition for DDG 51-class destroyers in 2013. DDG 12
The US Navy’s afloat forward staging base-interim USS Ponce (AFSB(I) 15) returned to Naval Station Norfolk September 27 after spending over five years overseas. The navy’s first laser-weapon system fitted ship returned from the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations and is set to be decommissioned and di
A Chinese Navy three-ship task group has concluded a three-day visit to Brunei Darussalam and is currently en route to Cambodia. Composed of Type 052C destroyer Changchun, Type 054A frigate Jingzhou and Type 903 replenishment ship Chaohu, the task group started its deployment on April 23 and has vis
The lead ship of the US Navy’s Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers launched the 100,000th aircraft from catapult two, marking the second time the ship has achieved this milestone. Catapult one launched its 100,000th aircraft on October 7, 2009. An F/A-18E Super Hornet, from the “Blue Diam
Gas turbines for the Royal Australian Navy’s Future Frigate program could be built by Australian RJE Global under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with GE’s Marine Solutions. GE’s Marine Solutions said in an announcement on September 27 that RJE would assemble GE LM2500 gas turbine modules
The Royal Navy’s third Type 26, or City-class, frigate will be named Belfast, First Sea Lord Admiral Philip Jones announced on September 27. Whilst the second to be named, HMS Belfast is Ship 3 in the Type 26 programme. Ship 1 is called HMS Glasgow and Ship 2 is yet to be named. The future […
The complicated process of designing and building new submarines from scratch could leave Australia with no submarines in its fleet over a period of several years, an independent report has warned. The Insight Economics report, commissioned by Gary Johnston from Submarines for Australia, suggests th
The Ukrainian Navy has received additional two Gurza-class small armored artillery boats, Ukraine’s defense ministry said on September 26. The boats arrived at the Port of Odessa and will now undergo a set of tests after which they will be commissioned into the Ukrainian Navy. After these two boats