Equipment & technology
Pakistan to launch third Azmat-class corvette
Pakistan’s Karachi Shipyard announced it would launch the nation’s third Azmat-class (FAC) corvette on September 17. Construction of the 63 meter multi-mission, fast attack craft started in April 2015 while keel laying took place five months later on August 11. The ship displaces 560 tons and, accor
Indonesian first Sigma-class frigate completes sea trials
The first of two SIGMA 10514 PKR naval frigates for the Indonesian Navy has completed its sea trials, Dutch shipbuilder Damen has informed. The assessment phase began with seven days of basin trials to ensure that the propulsion and safety systems were fully operational before the vessel made the pa
Korean Navy assists in medical evacuation of US Navy destroyer sailor
The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) helped U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) conduct an emergency medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) of a sailor in need of medical attention on September 11. At approximately 11 a.m., Decatur notified Commander, Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 15 that a sail
US Navy cruiser, destroyer join carrier strike group for Philippine Sea patrol
US Navy destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur departed Yokosuka, Japan on September 5 with carrier strike group 5 while the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville followed suit on September 7. The ships will be operating with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. Curtis W
USS Fort Worth reaches Guam on way back home
USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), the U.S. Navy littoral combat which had undergone repairs in Singapore after suffering a breakdown, reached Guam on September 6 during her return to the San Diego homeport. By entering Guam, USS Fort Worth sailors completed the longest leg of their transit back home since dep
French DCNS in Indian Scorpene submarine leak scandal
A massive leak of documents containing top-secret technical details of the Indian Navy’s Scorpene-class submarines has hit the French defense company DCNS which is set to build new Australian submarines. The documents, first revealed by The Australian, contain 22,400 pages and detail secret combat c
North Korea fires submarine-based ballistic missile
North Korea carried out a successful ballistic missile firing test near one of its submarine bases on Wednesday, South Korean military officials said. The test came after the U.S. and South Korea started military drills two days ago, much to the disliking of North Korea which condemned the exercises
Chinese, US Navy ships in CUES drill
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) conducted coordinated maneuvering events, Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), and a search-and-rescue (SAR) swimmer training event with the People’s Liberation Army (Navy) Jiangkai II class frigate Daqing (FFG 576
Japanese, Korean and US destroyers to be equipped with AEGIS systems
The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $490 million contract to equip additional Japanese, Republic of Korea and U.S. Navy destroyers with the integrated AEGIS air and missile defense (IAMD) capabilities. According to Lockheed Martin, the ships will be equipped with Aegis Baseline 9, the latest
China starts construction of two more Bangladesh Navy corvettes
China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group has started construction of additional two Swadhinota-class guided missile corvettes for the Bangladesh Navy with a ceremony that was attended by the Chief of Naval Staff Mohammed Nizamuddin Ahmed. The Swadhinota-class are a variation of the Chinese Navy T
Post-RIMPAC exercise garners five nations
Ships from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and U.S. Navy (USN) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) participated in a post Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multilateral exercise in the Hawaii operating area August
USS Benfold first US warship to visit China since South China Sea ruling
USS Benfold, a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, arrived in Qingdao, the home of the Chinese Navy’s North Sea Fleet, on August 8. By entering the Chinese Navy base, Benfold became the first U.S. warship to visit China since last month’s ruling in the South China Sea arbitration
USS Momsen visits Subic Bay, Philippines
The U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92) arrived in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines August 8 as part of a U.S. 3rd Fleet Pacific Surface Action Group (PAC SAG). The port call marked Momsen’s midway point as part of the group. Under the operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet
British mine experts observe Japanese 2JA 2016 exercise
Royal Navy mine disposal experts watched their Japanese counterparts work during the large-scale exercise 2JA 2016. Two British observers joined the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force at its major annual test of its minehunting forces in Mutsu Bay at the northern tip of main island of Honshu. Some