U.S. Navy’s amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), with embarked U.S. Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), transited the Suez Canal and entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations on August 7. Navigating the 120-mile-long canal is no easy task, requiring hours of
The largest U.S. icebreaker, Coast Guard Cutter Healy is set to return from a 39-day science mission to the Arctic Chukchi Sea. The icebreaker will moor in Seward on August 10 to disembark 46 researchers from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in California recently tested Lockheed Martin’s new Dual Mode Plus laser guided bomb (LGB) in two successful flights, the company said. Tests were conducted to demonstrate operation of the new linear optics, GPS/Inertial Navigation System (INS) guid
METU-16, the Finnish Navy’s annual firing exercise, will be held from August 22 to 26 and August 29 to September 2 in the Archipelago Sea and the Gulf of Finland, the navy has informed. Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, Katanpää-class Mine Hunter Coastal Vessels, Rauma- and Hamina-class fast attack missil
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Boeing $60.8 million to finalize work on upgrades for the P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft. The contract will enable Boeing to mature the Increment 3 Block 2 capabilities through preliminary and critical design review. These capabilities in
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
Republic of Singapore Navy’s Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) program is to be equipped with SharpeEye navigation radars, Kelvin Hughes, a British manufacturer of navigation systems, announced August 8. The lead ship of the fleet, Independence, was delivered in May of this year equipped with two I-Band
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
The U.S. Navy has not demonstrated sufficient acquisition and design knowledge regarding its next-generation Flight III destroyer procurement approach and opportunities exist to enhance oversight, a study carried out by the U.S. Government Accountability Office study has revealed. If the Navy procur
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
Following contracts for MK-31 RAM missiles and SM-3 missiles earlier this week, the U.S. Navy has now awarded American defense company Raytheon a $287.9 million contract for work on the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS). Under the latest firm-fixed-price modification, Raytheon will carry out MK
U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Topeka (SSN 754) changed command during a ceremony at the Naval Base Guam chapel on August 5. Cmdr. Steven Tarr III took charge of the submarine from Cmdr. David Lammers. Capt. Jeffrey Grimes, Joint Region Marianas Chief of Staff and former commande
The world’s largest international maritime exercise concluded Aug. 4, after more than a month of training events conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in Ri
Leonardo-Finmeccanica, an Italian multinational aerospace and defence company announced July 4 it received an order from the Italian Coast Guard for additional two AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopters. By placing this order the Italian service will bring its AW139 fleet to twelve with options
