Initiating the first step in a process to construct six new Batch III frigates South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed an initial 16.6 billion KRW ($13.7M) with Hyundai Heavy Industries on December 27. The contract will see the shipbuilder start planing and design work
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain arrived in Puerto Princesa, the Philippines for a brief port call on December 24. During the visit, the McCain crew will participate in a series of community service projects and sporting events. The visit comes months after
China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, started blue water drills on Saturday, heading towards the West Pacific with a carrier task group. Chinese state media reported that this was the carrier’s first “distant seas” deployment. According to China’s Xinhua news agency, the Liaoning and other s
After 12 years of idleness in port, U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) deployed this year for a busy 2016. After six months underway, the ship is now set to return to Norfolk on December 24. Once there, Wasp will undergo a planned maintenance availability that is expected to be fin
A junior U.S. Navy officer embarked on a Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy ship as part of the newly created Combined Edge junior officer exchange program, December 21-23. Combined Edge was formed to improve combined warfighting integration between the U.S. and ROK navies by allowing U.S. Navy officers t
The South Korean defense procurement agency announced December 21 that it has ordered two new frigates to be built for its navy. The frigates were ordered three months ahead of the schedule with the aim of safeguarding and boosting local shipbuilding industry, the agency said. South Korea’s Defense
U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) docked at the Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan on December 22. The port visit is part of its Indo-Asia-Pacific patrol. “Alexandria departed the shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire a little over one year ago,” said Cmdr. Todd San
Russian and Indian Navy ships will be taking part in a wide range of drills in the Bay of Bengal from December 14 to 21, the Indian press office announced. In existence since 2003, this will be the 9th edition of the bilateral maritime exercise dubbed Indra Navy. The primary aim of the exercise will
Canada has taken command of the Combined Maritime Forces’ counter-piracy task force operating in the Middle East region. Commodore Haydn C. Edmundson of the Royal Canadian Navy assumed command on Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 after conducting a change of command ceremony with the Pakistan Navy on De
U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724) entered Changwon, South Korea for a port visit during its deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The submarine arrived at the U.S. Fleet Activities Chinhae, the only U.S. Navy Base in Mainland Asia, on December 8. “Our high
Two sailors were confirmed dead while a number of others are being treated for injuries after the Indian Navy frigate INS Betwa tipped over on Monday as it was being undocked at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. “The incident occurred in the Cruiser Graving Dock during undocking evolution wherein it is
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first three of eleven AS565 MBe Panther helicopters to Indonesia. The helicopters were delivered at a ceremony at Airbus Helicopters’ headquarters in Marignane, France, in the presence of representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence and the Indonesian Nav
Secretary of the U.S. Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus visited sailors and marines assigned to USS Makin Island (LHD 8) and the 11th marine expeditionary unit (MEU) while the ship was pierside in Singapore, November 22. Mabus opened the event with an all-hands call, lauding the sailors and marines aboard Mak
INS Chennai, the last of three Kolkata-class guided missile destroyers, joined the Indian Navy in a ceremony held at the Mumbai naval dockyard on Monday. Following her formal induction, INS Chennai will be placed under the Indian Western Naval Command. In due course, the ship will be homeported at M
