Operations
Crane damages Russia’s sole aircraft carrier as floating dry dock sinks
Russia’s sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was damaged on Tuesday morning as the 330-meter floating dry dock holding the carrier sank during a float-out operation in Murmansk. A crane fell onto the aircraft carrier after the dry dock started sinking, leaving a four by five meter hole above the
Irish Navy starts P50-class midlife overhaul assessment
The Irish Naval Service has awarded marine and naval architecture consultancy Tymor Marine a contract to carry out a vessel mid-life extension survey. The Aberdeen-headquartered company will survey the Irish Navy’s P50 class vessels to assess the condition of their structure, systems, equipment and
Upgrades start on Seasparrow surface-to-air ship defense system
The US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) has started work on the refurbishment and modification of the NATO Seasparrow missile system (NSSMS) platform and MK 132 guided missile launching system. The surface-to-air ship defense system is being upgraded to support deployme
USS Ronald Reagan, JS Kirisame wrap up Philippine Sea cooperative deployment
Ships from the US Navy’s Ronald Reagan carrier strike group and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JSMDF) Murasame-class destroyer JS Kirisame (DD 104) on October 28 concluded seven days of maritime operations during a cooperative deployment in the Philippine Sea. Ronald Reagan strike group unit
US-Japanese exercise Keen Sword gets underway in Japan
The US and Japan started their biennial exercise Keen Sword at military installations throughout Japan and surrounding waters on October 29. This year’s edition of the exercise will be joined by two Royal Canadian Navy ships for the first time ever. The biennial exercise is the latest in a series of
HMS Montrose first Royal Navy frigate to forward-deploy to Middle East
Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose became the first Royal Navy frigate to forward-deploy to the Persian Gulf as she got underway from Plymouth for a three-year deployment to the Middle East. While the Devonport-based warship will not return home for more than three years, her ship’s company will rotate in
EUNAVFOR destroys pirate vessel after attack on Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier
Spanish sailors assigned to EUNAVFOR’s operation Atalanta captured and destroyed a pirate whaler in an operation off the Somali coast on October 28. The pirate vessel was detected following an attack on Hong Kong-flagged Bulk Carrier KSL Sydney. The attack against the KSL Sydney took place on Octobe
Australian frigate HMAS Ballarat starts nine-month Middle East mission
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat got underway from her homeport Fleet Base West at Garden Island on October 28 to start her Middle East deployment. The 190 sailors and officer on board will spend the next nine months conducting maritime security operations as part of the Australian defens
US, Peruvian Navy conclude Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative
The Peruvian and US Navy have concluded almost three months of diesel-electric submarine operations which saw a Peruvian Navy submarine train and operate with a range of US Navy assets. Exactly 89 days of joint operations with the Peruvian submarine BAP Arica (SS-36) officially concluded in a closin
Euronaval 2018: MBDA unveils naval version of MMP
Missile systems developer MBDA has unveiled a navalized version of the MMP 5th generation ground combat missile at Euronaval. MDBA said the decision to introduce the system follows the operational evaluation campaign carried out at the end of the summer by the French armed forces in Djibouti to conf
Dutch warship to join HMS Queen Elizabeth on first operational deployment
The Netherlands became the first UK ally to announce it would send a warship to join the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth on her first operational deployment in 2021. The announcement was made on October 24 during the visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands to Downing Street. T
Raytheon delivers RAM launcher for Mexican Navy POLA OPV
US weapon manufacturer Raytheon announced it has delivered a Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher for the Mexican Navy’s long-range off-shore patrol vessel (Patrulla Oceánica de Largo Alcance, or POLA). The RAM Block 2 supersonic, quick reaction, fire-and-forget missile to counter enemy anti-ship
Turkish Navy conducts another submarine SINKEX
A Turkish Navy Ay-class submarine sank a decommissioned navy vessel in the country’s second known sinking exercise (SINKEX) of 2018. The exercise took place last week in the Black Sea and follows a SINKEX which took place in June when Type 209/1200 submarine TCG Yildiray launched a wire-guided torpe
US Navy commissions first UAS test and evaluation squadron
The US Navy commissioned its first unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test and evaluation squadron during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s Webster Outlying Field, on October 18. The new unit, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (UX) 24, flies over 23 fixed and rotary wing UAS including the