Operations
New Zealand Navy chooses Gisborne as homeport for new vessel
Gisborne has been chosen as the honorary homeport for the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) newly purchased dive and hydrographic vessel. In late August, the country’s government approved the purchase of the 85-meter Edda Fonn, a 15-year-old survey and light construction vessel. The ship will replace
Australian frigate HMAS Toowoomba returns from seven-month deployment
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba has returned to its homeport of Fleet Base West, Rockingham, after the ship’s longest deployment to date, contributing to seven task groups in seven months. Commanding Officer, Commander Mitchell Livingstone, said Toowoomba achieve
Royal Navy’s HMS Bangor returns home after 3-year deployment
Royal Navy’s Scots-based minehunter HMS Bangor (M109) will return to her home port of HM Naval Base Clyde today, on August 31. For the past three years, HMS Bangor has been operating in the Gulf as part of the UK’s commitment in the region to work with international partners to protect vital shippin
US agencies seize $2m worth of cocaine from 2 go-fasts off Puerto Rico
As part of Operation Unified Resolve, the US law enforcement agencies have interdicted two go-fast vessels off Puerto Rico, seizing $2 million worth of cocaine and arresting seven smugglers. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin transferred four suspected smugglers and approximately one milli
US Navy medics start subject matter exchanges in Colombia
A team of US Navy medical professionals arrived in Colombia aboard USS Gunston Hall on August 25 to begin subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) with Colombian medical professionals. The visit and partner capacity building engagements taking place in the town of Riohacha are part of Southern Partner
Phoenix International gets $29m for US Navy SRDRS operation, maintenance
The US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Phoenix International Holdings a $29.9 million contract modification to exercise options for the continued maintenance and operation of the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System. Under the contract, Phoenix International will provide personnel
F-35Cs start operational testing aboard USS Abraham Lincoln
F-35C Joint Strike Fighters are conducting first flight ops aboard an aircraft carrier ever as part of their Operational Test-1 (OT-1) on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). OT-1 evaluates the full spectrum of the F-35C’s suitability for operation within a carrier air wing and mission effectiveness to
USS Harry S. Truman returns to sea, gets ready for dual carrier ops
After returning to Norfolk three months into what was regularly a seven-month deployment, nearly 6,500 sailors of the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group (HSTCSG) returned to sea again departing from Naval Station (NS) Norfolk, Virginia, on August 28. HSTCSG deployed April 11, 2018, and returned to
Russia conducts cruise missile tests ahead of largest drill in three decades
Russia’s Pacific Fleet recently held a cruise-missile drill which saw guided-missile cruisers, nuclear submarines and mobile coastal defense missile systems launch a total of seven cruise missiles at surface targets in the Sea of Okhotsk. Sava-class cruiser Varyag launched the P-1000 Vulkan anti-shi
Spain deploys Aegis frigate Cristóbal Colón to NATO’s SNMG2
Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Cristóbal Colón got underway from her homeport in Ferrol on August 25 to join NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegis-equipped frigate will first contribute to the maritime situational awareness picture and counter-terrorism operations in the
RAN frigate, oiler deploy for operations, drills
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Stuart and oiler HMAS Sirius got underway from Fleet Base West on August 22 for several months of operations. Despite sailing together for the Australian-hosted exercise Kakadu 2018 which will be held off Darwin, both ships will have a very different schedule of ev
US Navy’s ASTARS III completes first flight
The US Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) completed the first flight of the recently-delivered Airborne Systems Training and Research Support (ASTARS) III, August 21. The first flight objective validated the aircraft’s Naval subsystems ahead of its addition to the USNTPS’ class 155 syllabus which bega
USS Carney wraps up Black Sea tour
US Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) exited the Black Sea, August 27, after 15 days of maritime security operations and theater security engagements. USS Carney was in the Black Sea at the same time as USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7), which became the first Spearhead-class expeditiona
Denmark wants to deploy a frigate with France’s carrier strike group in 2019
Denmark’s defense ministry announced on Friday it’s intention to deploy one of its frigates to France where it would join the French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle for exercises in early 2019. Early 2019 is when the Marine Nationale’s sole aircraft carrier is expected to make a return to