Funding
German Navy frigate Augsburg to join operation Sophia
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
EC eyes 10,000-strong European Border and Coast Guard by 2020
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
Sweden: Balex Delta 2018 completes
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
Italy’s newest FREMM frigate joins counter-piracy operation off the Horn of Africa
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
Royal Navy frigate wraps up seven-month Asia Pacific deployment
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland returned to her homeport at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport on August 10, concluding a seven-month deployment to the Asia-Pacific. Sutherland and her crew got underway on January 9, becoming the first Royal Navy vessel to operate in Asia Pacific in rece
German Naval Yards, TKMS join forces on German MKS180 warship bid
German Naval Yards and thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) – two Kiel-based shipbuilders – are joining forces to compete against a Dutch proposal for the design and construction of the German Navy’s new MKS180 ships. TKMS signed an agreement with German Naval Yards Kiel (GNYK) on August 3 under which
Denmark receives final two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters
Denmark’s defense department has received the final two of overall nine MH-60R Seahawk helicopters delivered by Sikorsky Aircraft under a $686 million contract. The aircraft arrived at the Royal Danish Air Force base Karup on August 1 aboard an American C17 aircraft. MH-60R Seahawks will be flown by
Operation Sophia welcomes new flagship
Italian Navy amphibious ship ITS San Marco has become a flagship of the EUNAVFOR Med operation Sophia Task Force. San Marco has replaced landing platform dock (LPD) San Giusto which completed six months of deployment in the operation, from February 1 to August 1, 2018. This was the vessel’s second i
Royal Navy eyeing cost savings with new failure forecasting neural network
Engineers could be able to view the status and predicted health of ships’ systems.
HMS Argyll visits Egypt en route to Asia
Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll has arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, as part of her nine-month deployment to the Persian Gulf and Asia Pacific which started on June 18. The Type 23 frigate is currently visiting the Alexandria naval base to facilitate discussions between senior Egyptian and UK naval offic
ESSM Block 2 passes first live fire test
The upgraded Block 2 Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM) recently intercepted a BQM-74E aerial target in a successful flight test, the US Navy announced on July 5. This was the first ESSM flight test to utilize the new Block 2 active guidance seeker-head. ESSM Block 2 will employ both semi-active and
French Navy commissions L’Astrolabe, 8 months after it deployed on operations
The French Navy has officially commissioned its newest ice-breaking and polar patrol vessel L’Astrolabe, nine months after receiving it and eight months after sending it on an astral summer mission to Antarctica. As explained, the French Navy puts it newbuilds through two phases of testing. The firs
Royal Navy frigate deploys to Asia with new Sea Ceptor missile system
Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll became the third Royal Navy ship to deploy to Asia as she got underway from her Devonport Naval base on June 18. The frigate will be spending the next nine-months in Asia, sailing as far as Japan as part of a national push to strengthen military and diplomatic ties in [&he
German tender ‘Rhein’ to become NATO SNMCMG2 flagship
German Navy tender FGS Rhein is departing its Kiel homeport on June 20 to head for the Mediterranean Sea where it will join NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). During its time in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the 100-meter long Elbe-class replenishment ship will serve as flags