Operations
Former HMAS Tobruk to be scuttled off Queensland, Australia
Former Australian Navy’s heavy lift ship HMAS Tobruk will be scuttled off the coast between Bundaberg and Hervey Bay as a dive wreck, Australian minister for defence personnel announced. Tobruk had provided 34 years of service to Australia, sailing more than 947,000 nautical miles. It will continue
Another jet crashes attempting to land on Russian aircraft carrier
A Russian SU-33 aircraft crashed on December 3 while attempting to land on the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, according to a report by The Aviationist. The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the Su-33 fighter jet skidded off the dock after the arresting cable broke. The pilot sustai
Norwegian minesweeper KNM Rauma undergoes inspection and survey
Norwegian ship services company Bergen Group Services AS has been contracted to carry out an inspection and survey project on the Norwegian Navy minesweeper KNM Rauma. The company said the project would start in early January 2017 and would take 12 weeks to complete. Bergen completed a similar proje
HMS Echo replaces Enterprise in Mediterranean operation Sophia
HMS Echo, a Royal Navy multi-role survey vessel, will be taking the place of sister ship HMS Enterprise which has represented UK’s contribution to the European migrant-crisis mission in the Mediterranean Sea. During her time spent with operation Sophia, Enterprise has saved over 9,000 lives of aroun
Australian Navy depth sounder helps New Zealand in quake aftermath
The Royal Australian Navy laser airborne depth sounder flight has deployed to assist in disaster relief efforts off the South Island of New Zealand. The Cairns-based flight has conducted a hydrographic survey of the sea floor in the coastal margins of the north-east coast of the South Island followi
Boston Ship Repair to overhaul USNS Big Horn
The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command has awarded Boston Ship Repair a $9.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for a shipyard availability and regular overhaul and dry docking of the Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Big Horn (T-AO 198). The 56-calendar day undertaking will incl
Indian Coast Guard Samarth-class OPV launched in Goa
Indian shipbuilder Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) has launched the sixth and final Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessels (OPV), in Goa on November 30. The indigenously designed and built OPV is named ICGS Sujay and measures 105 meters in length. GSL has so far delivered three vessels in the class t
Interview: UMS SKELDAR confident in maritime UAV future
Navies and security agencies around the world are increasingly relying on unmanned aerial vehicles for their reconnaissance and surveillance needs, thereby contributing to the development of the overall “drone” market that is expected to reach USD 14.9 billion by 2020. Naval Today recently spoke w
Maritime security agencies hold counter-piracy talks in Bahrain
Bahrain was the stage for the 39th Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) conference which was held November 30. The conference was a forum to discuss counter-piracy in the Gulf of Aden and in the Indian Ocean and the importance of cooperation between naval units in the region, industry and othe
USS Coronado tests Singapore waters after maintenance
U.S. Navy’s littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) sailed from Changi Naval Base in Singapore November 30, for a routine patrol following a scheduled maintenance period. The 2014-commissioned Coronado arrived in Singapore on October 16 after participating in the 2016 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) e
Makin Island ARG enters 5th Fleet
The U.S. Navy’s Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with embarked marines departed the 7th Fleet area of operations after concluding several port visits and exchanges with partner militaries on November 30. By doing so, the Makin Island ARG is joining the Wasp ARG and the USS Dwight D. Eisenho
Spanish F-100 frigate concludes air operations integration
Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Álvaro de Bazán returned to her home port after integrating into the Defense and Air Operations Command (MDOA in its Spanish initials). The purpose of this deployment was to conduct air surveillance and naval presence in several western Mediterranean areas. F-100 frigate
US destroyer sails from Spain for operation Atlantic Resolve deployment
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter departed Rota, Spain on November 30 to begin its regularly scheduled deployment. Porter’s operations will provide the ship and crew an opportunity to strengthen and build naval capabilities with allies and partners in the region and
Denel’s SAM to be tested on Algerian Meko frigate next year
Denel’s Umkhonto surface-to-air missile that was installed on the Algerian Navy’s second Meko frigate is set to undergo extensive testing in early 2017. The two frigates, with an option for another two, are built at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Northern Germany. Denel Dynamics supplies the SAM syste