Operations
Former US Navy frigate sunk by missile fire
U.S. ships and aircraft used live fire munition to sink a decommissioned U.S. Navy guided missile frigate in waters 30,000 feet deep and 117 nautical miles northeast of Guam on September 13. The boat sank in five hours after sustaining 22 missile hits, finally succumbing to hellfire missiles shots b
Royal Navy destroyer joins Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond joined the European operation Sophia by replacing HMS Enterprise, another Royal Navy ship which was part of the mission for several months. Royal Marines and Royal Navy sailors from HMS Diamond conducted their final boarding exercise with HMS Enterprise pri
First real test for Australian MH-60R helicopter
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Perth and its embarked MH-60R helicopter took part in a search and rescue off the coast of Seychelles for the first time on August 14. Two survivors were located by Perth’s MH-60R helicopter, call sign ‘Hellcat’, and were recovered by a civilian yacht. According to
US Navy, Marines test integration potential of F-35s and Aegis system
The U.S. Marine’s F-35 Lightning II and the Navy’s Aegis air and missile defense weapon system worked together for the first time during a live fire exercise. According to Lockheed Martin, the company involved in the production of both systems, the event successfully demonstrated the integration of
Australian Navy formally receives final MH-60R helicopter
Royal Australian Navy chief Vice Admiral Tim Barrett accepted the last of Navy’s 24 MH-60R maritime combat helicopters during a ceremony at Lockheed-Martin’s Logistics and Maintenance Facility at Nowra’s Aviation Technology Park on September 12. The Commonwealth of Australia chose the Romeo in June
Sea combat commanders embark Bonhomme Richard for exercise Valiant Shield
A contingent of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 staff embarked aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) on September 11, to serve as the sea combat commander (SCC) for the expeditionary strike group during the upcoming joint exercise Valiant Shield. This will be the second time DESR
Boxer amphibious ready group to return from deployment
U.S. Navy’s Boxer Amphibious Ready Group is set to return to Naval Base San Diego from a seven-month deployment, Sept. 12. BOXARG is made up of amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), and amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD
Watch USS Jackson react to a 10,000-pound explosive charge blast during shock trials
The U.S. Navy has recently shared a video its Independence variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS 6) undergoing full ship shock trials (FSST) with 10,000 pounds of explosive charge detonated close to the ship. While initially released images provided a glimpse into what the test looked like,
Northrop Grumman to build ten more drone helicopters for US Navy
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Northrop Grumman a $108,118,000 contract to deliver another ten Fire Scout MQ-8C unmanned air systems. Fire Scout is an unmanned helicopter system that provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to the U.S. Navy. There are tw
North Sea scanned for American Revolutionary War ship
Sailors and scientists from a variety commands, organizations and militaries searched for the wreckage of Revolutionary War ship Bonhomme Richard from September 2-9. Underwater archaeologists from the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), Navy divers from mobile diving and salvage unit(MDSU) 2,
New Zealand’s new Seasprite helicopter deploys on first mission with an offshore patrol vessel
One of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) newly acquired fleet of Seasprite helicopters is embarking on its first operational mission with an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) to help transport 23 government staff and about seven tonnes of vital equipment and supplies to the remote Kermadec Island
US F-35s to embark on maiden deployment of British Queen Elizabeth carrier
U.S. Marines’ F35B short take-off vertical landing jets will join the Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth on board when she sets sail for her maiden deployment which is planned for 2021. This was confirmed by the UK MoD Secretary Michael Fallon following a meeting between him an
US Navy announces new changes for LCS crews
Following an engineering stand-down and a crew retraining order earlier in the week, the U.S. Navy announced on September 8 it would implement several changes to the projected 28-ship littoral combat ship (LCS) Flight 0/0+ class over the next five years in order to “simplify crewing, stabilize testi
Photo: US Navy Ohio class submarine launches Trident II D5 missile off Florida
The U.S. Navy has recently shared photos of its Ohio class ballistic missile submarine USS Maryland launching a Trident II D5 missile in the Eastern Test Range off the coast of Florida. The Demonstration and Shakedown Operation with the missile launch was conducted with the Strategic Systems Program