Raytheon Missile Systems has received a $242 million contract to deliver the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2 system for the Qatari Emiri Navy. The contract, announced by the US defense department May 10, was awarded to the company by the US Naval Sea Systems Command and includes foreign milit
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) wrapped up a seven-month deployment to the Middle East and Asia Pacific returning to San Diego on May 7. CVN 71 returned to San Diego together with guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) which is part of the Carrier Strike Group (CSG)
Israeli Navy Commander in Chief has announced the names of the four Sa’ar 6 vessels currently under construction in Germany. In an announcement on April 22, Major General Eli Sharvit said the new ships would be named INS Magen, Oz, Independence and Victory. Construction on the new class of ships sta
US, French and UK forces launched strikes on Syrian chemical facilities in the morning hours of April 14 in response to chemical attacks used by the Syrian government early April. US guided missile destroyer USS Higgins and USS Laboon, guided missile cruiser USS Monterey and Virginia-class submarine
Qatar’s defense ministry has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the purchase of 28 NH90 military helicopters during the DIMDEX exhibition which is hosted by Qatar every two years. The agreement, which includes 16 NH90s in tactical transport (TTH) configuration and 12 NH90s in naval (NFH)
US Navy and Coast Guard units joined Iraqi Navy and Kuwait Naval Force and Coast Guard vessels for a trilateral exercise (TRILAT) in the Persian Gulf. The exercise concluded on February 22 and was the third of its kind executed since March 2017. The exercise was led by Task Force (TF 55) and is part
Italian-based defense contractor Leonardo has unveiled its new OTO Marlin 40 naval turret at the 2018 edition of Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference (DIMDEX) in Qatar. The new OTO Marlin 40 is a system designed for fast, lightweight vessels and suited for anti-missile defense
US Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) arrived off the coast of Israel on March 6 to take part in exercise Juniper Cobra 2018. Although Iwo Jima and the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will not participate directly in the ballistic missile defense portion of
The US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on February 9 after four months of operations in the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf. Hopper operated in the US 7th and 5th Fleets, Hopper supporting ballistic missile defense and promoting securit
Construction of a new class of Israeli Navy corvettes started in Germany on February 7, with a steel-cutting ceremony at the Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel. The high profile ceremony was attended by the head of the Israeli Navy, Admiral Eli Sharvit, and German Navy inspector Vice-admir
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) welcomed the commander of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force while underway in the Persian Gulf on January 16. Commodore Mohammed Yousif Al Asam and members of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force visited the ship while the Bahrain Navy frigate RBNS Sabha
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan got underway from naval base Portsmouth on December 8 to start her deployment to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) and the Royal Navy’s operation Kipion tasking. HMS Duncan is the first Royal Navy destroyer to deploy in 2018. The remaining five destro
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has established a subsidiary in Qatar which will be “the focal point” of all the services and after sales activities on the naval vessels of the group in the country. The new company, Fincantieri Services Middle East in Doha, is licensed by the Qatar Financial Centre.
US Navy destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) assisted an Iranian vessel in the Persian Gulf, stranded 60 nautical miles from nearest land with no communication capabilities. An MH-60R Sea Hawk embarked with Preble was conducting routine flight operations on December 16 when they spotted the Iranian vessel
