Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon has seized three tons of hashish in a Persian Gulf operation, the Royal Navy informed. The Portsmouth-based destroyer was on patrol in the Middle East when they came across a suspicious dhow – a type of vessel common to the Middle East – in a notorious drug sm
Months of rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine in the Sea of Azov escalated on Sunday when Russian forces first fired upon and subsequently seized three Ukrainian Navy vessels as they were trying to enter the Sea of Azov through the Kerch Strait. Latest reports say six Ukrainian sailors were i
The Royal Navy is retaining its three Batch 1 River-class offshore patrol vessels for at least the next two years, UK defense secretary Gavin Williamson announced on November 22. The announcement follows the previous decommissioning of two of the ships in the class, HMS Severn in 2017 and HMS Tyne i
Australian submarine specialist ASC has secured an agreement with French submarine electric motor manufacturer Jeumont Electric to collaborate on motors in Australia for both the Collins Class and Future Submarine programs. Under the long-term collaboration agreement, the duo will exploit synergies
Swedish defense contractor Saab has into an agreement with Australian submarine specialist ASC for the provision of a range of services which include engineering services for the A26 submarine program. Saab is building two A26 submarines for the Royal Swedish Navy and is offering three export varian
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has awarded Israeli unmanned systems specialist Elbit for unmanned aircraft system patrol services. As announced by the company, two-year contract has two single year option periods with a total value of €59 million (approximately $68 million) if all option
A 98-meter experimental trimaran built for the Royal Navy in 2000 is currently being offered for sale by yacht brokerage Ocean Independence. The RV Triton spent over 15 years in service as a prototype demonstrator in the UK and later as a customs border protection vessel in Australia. It was designe
The Royal Thai Navy has contracted engineering and risk management consultancy company BMT a contract to support the Royal Thai Navy’s (RTN) new midget submarine program. From its offices in Bath, UK, BMT will recommend submarine-specific engineering management best practice to help the RTN minimize
Libyan Navy and Coast Guard personnel started a new phase of training, dubbed “Package 2”, with the Italian Navy in La Maddalena, Italy, on October 8. The training is conducted as part of the EU-led Mediterranean Sea migrant-response operation Sophia. A total of 69 personnel will be trained in this
Italian Navy transport vessel Nave Caprera was used to smuggle cigarettes on the return trip from Libya where the ship was deployed in support of an EU migrant interdiction mission. The ship reportedly returned to the Italian Navy base Brindisi with over 700 kg of cigarettes on board. This was confi
The German Navy’s frigate Augsburg (F213) will set sail for the Mediterranean Sea next week to participate in the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia. The Bremen-class ship is scheduled to depart its Wilhelmshaven homeport on Monday, September 17. Following an extensive training program, Augsburg is to re
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has unveiled a new proposal for the 10,000-strong European Border and Coast Guard to help better protect European borders and tackle migration. The proposal is one of three new initiatives presented in Juncker’s State of the Union Address 2018 on Sep
Numerous naval and coast guard assets participated in Helcom Balex Delta 2018, a major Baltic operational exercise in oil spill response. Coordinated by the Swedish Coast Guard and backed by the EU, the exercise took place in the waters of Karlskrona from August 27 to 31, 2018. Balex Delta is an ann
After ceding command over the EU-led counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the Horn of Africa to the Spanish Navy, the Italian Navy has deployed its newest FREMM frigate – ITS Federico Martinengo – to support the mission. The frigate got underway from its homeport in Taranto and joined the operation
