Operations
Dutch Navy upgrades support vessel HNLMS Pelikaan
The Royal Netherlands Navy’s logistic support vessel HNLMS Pelikaan is undergoing refit works at the naval base Parera in Willemstad, Curaçao, where it is expected to remain until April 2017. HNLMS Pelikaan was launched in 2006 in Galati, Romania, and sailed into Willemstad for the first time on 11
US Navy destroyer concludes independent forward deployment
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) concluded an independent deployment to the Arabian Gulf, western Pacific, and Indian Ocean and returned to Pearl Harbor on February 21. Hopper spent 180 days forward-deployed to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets, with more than 3
NATO SNMG2 ships conclude Black Sea deployment
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St. John’s and Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbon concluded their operations in the Black Sea and returned to the Mediterranean Sea to continue their deployment with NATO standing maritime group 2. On January 31, 2017, the vessels transisted into the Black Sea
USS Alexandria stops in Japan during deployment
U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) made a port call in Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan while on her Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment, February 19. “The crew of Alexandria is looking forward to another opportunity for liberty in Sasebo,” said Cmdr. Todd Santala, comman
General Micro Systems bags US Navy ship displays contract
Facing end-of-life challenges, old displays on ships in the U.S. Navy fleet are being replaced by new ones that are to be delivered by General Micro Systems, the company announced in February. From an RFQ first seen in 2013, the SD19 SmartView display system is now in the deployment phase. General M
Spanish Future Frigate design contender arrives in Australia
Spanish Navy’s Navantia-built frigate ESPS Cristóbal Colón arrived in Perth, Australia with the aim of integrating into the Royal Australian Navy. Apart from training and navy to navy engagements, another reason for the F-100 frigate to visit Australia was the fact that Spanish shipbuilder Navantia
MDBA to supply additional Marte anti-ship missiles to UAE Navy
European missile manufacturer MBDA has been awarded a contract to supply additional Marte MK2/N anti-ship missiles to the UAE Navy, the company announced on Monday. This is a follow on to the contract signed in February 2009 for the supply of Marte missiles. Each high speed multi-role combat vessel
Royal Navy submariners prepare for HMS Trenchant’s return to operations
Royal Navy submariners assigned to the Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered submarine HMS Trenchant started preparing for operations as the submarine is nearing the end of her refit. The Plymouth-based boat is alongside in Devonport Naval Base while her engineers are busy finishing the final stages of he
USS Nimitz passes INSURV
The lead ship of U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Nimitz (CVN 68) has shown it is mission ready by completing the Material Inspection, one day earlier than expected in San Diego, February 16. Material Inspection is the final phase of the congressionally-mandated inspection of U.S. Navy
HMS Enterprise visits South Georgia on scientific deployment
Royal Navy survey ship HMS Enterprise is conducting scientific research in South Georgia, one of the most southerly points in what was once the British Empire. More than 7,000 miles from her home in Plymouth, the survey ship is enjoying the final weeks of the Austral summer to support British scient
Houthi “suicide boats” used in Saudi frigate attack were ‘drones’, US Navy Admiral says
The “suicide boats” used by Yemen’s Houthi fighters during the recent attack on Royal Saudi Navy frigate Al-Madinah were actually unmanned boats, a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral told Defense News in a recent interview. Official reports from the January 30 incident said the frigate was attacked by three boa
UAE-made naval turret unveiled at IDEX 2017
UAE company Siham Al Khaleej Technology (SAKT) joined Europe’s Leonardo and MBDA for the unveiling of the newly-developed SIHAM3 combined anti-air and anti-surface weapon system at IDEX 2017. Jointly developed by the three companies, the system provides a stand-alone anti-air and anti-surface capabi
USS Lake Erie cruiser gets deperming treatment ahead of deployment
In a move designed to give the ship an edge over mines, sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie performed a deperming procedure on the ship ahead of her upcoming deployment. The Ticonderoga-class cruiser moored at Naval Base Point Loma’s deperming pier, February 6-9,
US Coast Guard offloads 13 tonnes of seized cocaine
After several U.S. Coast Guard cutters seized more than 13 tons of cocaine, the crew of USCGC Midgett offloaded the contraband at Naval Base San Diego on February 16. The cocaine was seized in international waters off the coast of Central and South America by crews of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Sh