After welcoming her first F-35B fighter jets on the flight deck as part of first-of-class flight trials, the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth recently welcomed two US Navy helicopter heavyweights on the deck. The first to land was the United States Navy’s biggest helicopter – the MH-5
The US Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) left the pier at Bath Iron Works (BIW) on October 10 for open sea, General Dynamics Marine Systems said. The newbuilding headed for Boston where she will be commissioned on December 1 into the navy fleet. Launched in April 20
US Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) met up with Royal Thai Navy patrol vessel HTMS Krabi (OPV 551) and frigate HTMS Taksin (FFG 422) for a cooperative deployment in the East China Sea on Oct. 9. The event focused on navigation, communication and ship handling skills, improving intero
The newly established Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) embarked a US Navy ship for the first time off the Philippine coast on October 2. The ARDB conducted amphibious operations with amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) during Kaagapay N
US Coast Guard’s national security cutter USCGC Strato returned home after a deployment in which operations spanned from the Arctic Ocean to the coasts of South America. Stratton’s crew began their deployment in the Arctic Ocean in support of Coast Guard District Seventeen and operation Arctic Shiel
The annual IBSAMAR maritime exercise organized between the navies of Brazil, India and South Africa kicked off at Simons Town, South Africa, on October 1. The two-week exercise changes hosts every year, with the previous edition taking place in India. The exercise is designed to build interoperabili
F-35 Lightning jets achieved another milestone during flight trials on board the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth by completing first night-time landings. Britain’s biggest warship is currently conducting flight testing off the east coast of the United States and part of that is pract
The US Coast Guard has awarded Louisiana-based Metal Shark Boats a $3 million contract for the delivery of seven response boats-small II (RB-S IIs). The boats are targeted for delivery starting in spring 2019 and will be primarily stationed in the Seattle, Washington area. The 29-foot RB-S IIs are r
US Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is ready to start Enduring Promise, an 11-week medical assistance mission conducted with host-nation health and government partners in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Honduras. Comfort is scheduled to depart Norfolk on October 11, en route to South America a
Ships and personnel from the US, Spain, Germany and France concluded the four-day Smart Defense Exercise (SMARTEX) on September 28. SMARTEX is a NATO initiative designed to enhance interoperability and training between participating countries. During the exercise, Spanish sailors embarked aboard the
SMIT Salvage, a Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) subsidiary, has received two five-year marine salvage contracts to serve as the exclusive marine salvage and engineering support contractor for the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). SMIT Salvage will provide the US Navy with marine salv
US Navy destroyer USS Decatur had a close encounter with a Chinese destroyer during a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea on Sunday. The unidentified Chinese destroyer came as close as 45 ft to USS Decatur in what was described as an “unsafe and unprofessional maneuver” by US Paci
In an effort to fine-tune the 3-D printing process, the US Office of Naval Research and Lockheed Martin have teamed up to explore how to apply artificial intelligence to train robots to independently oversee—and optimize—3-D printing of complex parts. As explained by Lockheed, high-value and intrica
The UK has once again joined the club of aircraft carrier operating nations as first F-35Bs landed on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth. Royal Navy Commander Nathan Gray and RAF Squadron Leader Andy Edgell were the first pilots to make history by landing their F-35 Lightning stealth jets on the
