Operations
UK investing £75m in autonomous naval technologies
The UK defense ministry has announced an investment of £75 million into new Royal Navy robot and autonomous mine-hunting technologies. The funding boost will be spent on two new autonomous mine-hunter vessels with sonars to enable remote mine-hunting at higher range, speed and accuracy in the Persia
Canadian, Spanish NATO ships arrive in Odesa, Ukraine
Royal Canadian Navy and Spanish Navy frigate assigned to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) arrived in Odesa, Ukraine on April 1 for a routine port visit. Canadian frigate HMCS Toronto and Spanish frigate ESPS Santa Maria arrived in Odesa after patrolling in the Black Sea with fellow SNMG2 s
HMS Queen Elizabeth heads to Rosyth for first post-commissioning overhaul
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth got underway from her Portsmouth homeport on April 1 to head for Rosyth where she is scheduled to undergo her first dry-docking maintenance since entering service. The lead ship of a new class of Royal Navy aircraft carriers is starting the overhaul fo
Australia integrates AWD destroyer with F-35A during Diamond Shield
The Royal Australian Air Force-organized exercise Diamond Shield provided an opportunity for the Australian Navy’s second air warfare destroyer HMAS Brisbane to integrate and operate with the fifth-generation F-35A fighter jet for the first time. Brisbane embarked three Fighter Controllers from the
Amphibious assault ship USS Wasp arrives in the Philippines for exercise Balikatan
The US Navy’s forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) arrived in Subic Bay, on March 30, ahead of exercise Balikatan. Wasp arrived in the Philippines with embarked Marines from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) 4, which are led by 4th Marine Regiment. This will
India’s GRSE claims 100th warship delivery
Indian shipbuilder Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers (GRSE) says it has delivered its 100th warship, following the delivery of Landing Craft Utility L-56 to the Indian Navy in a ceremony on March 30. GRSE said the milestone was achieved through vessel deliveries to the Indian Navy, Indian Coa
New Zealand Navy’s new diving support vessel starts journey from Norway
The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new diving and hydrographic support vessel has started her journey from Norway to Auckland, New Zealand. Formerly known as offshore support vessel MV Edda Fonn, the vessel was sold by Norway’s Østensjø Rederi to the New Zealand Navy in August 2018. The vessel was modifie
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower back at sea after overhaul
US Navy’s Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) returned to sea March 28 after completing a scheduled planned incremental availability (PIA) which started in the second half of 2017. During the overhaul, the carrier received innovative upgrades, including a
Russia launches seventh Improved Kilo-class submarine Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Russian shipbuilder Admiralty Shipyards launched the first of a second batch of Improved Kilo-class submarines in a March 28 ceremony in St. Petersburg. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky will also be the first Project 636.3 to be built for the Vladivostok-based Pacific Fleet. The first six units in the class
Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne starts swan song deployment
Royal Australian Navy’s Adelaide-class frigate HMAS Melbourne got underway from her Sydney homeport to start a two-month deployment to the Pacific and South East Asia. “It’s sad to think about those at home when we sail from Sydney on deployment, but I’m excited about what the ship and crew will ach
Royal Navy landing ship joins US Navy minehunting drill off Virginia
Royal Navy auxiliary landing ship dock RFA Mounts Bay served as the test bed for a mobile US Navy minehunting force during a recent test off the coast of Virginia. The test included helicopters, divers, remote-controlled boats and automated surveying machines and was intended to see whether a task f
Singaporean company unveils submersible fast attack boat concept
Singapore-based DK Naval Technologies has unveiled a new concept of a fast attack craft capable of operating up to 100 meters below the surface. Called the Seekrieger, the vessel is still a concept and could take up to three years before the first actual vessel hits the water. Seekrieger is envision
US Navy names sixth Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer
US Navy’s sixth Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer will be named in honor of Korean War veteran, and Navy Cross Recipient, Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class George M. Neal, the US Navy secretary has announced. Neal, a native of Springfield, Ohio, served with Helicopter Utility Squadron ONE (
HII lays keel for US Navy’s 23rd Virginia-class submarine
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding held a keel authentication ceremony for the US Navy’s Virginia-class attack submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) on March 25. New Jersey is the 23rd Virginia-class fast attack submarine. Construction began in March 2016 and is about 42 percent compl