The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Sikorsky a $1.3 billion contract for the construction and delivery of 12 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the US Marine Corps. The low rate initial production (LRIP) Lots 2 and 3 contract was awarded on May 17. The most powerful helicopter in the Depa
The US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the navy’s premier science and technology research squadron, Scientific Development Squadron ONE (VXS-1), have unveiled the UV-18 “Twin Otter” as the newest addition to the squadron’s fleet of aircraft research platforms. The UV-18 is the military equivalen
The Spanish Navy-hosted mine countermeasures exercise ESP Minex 19 concluded in the Western Mediterranean Sea on May 10, after two weeks of evolutions. ESP Minex 19 is an advanced annual exercise for mine countermeasures units and surface, submarine, and air mining and force protection assets. Parti
Defense contractor Raytheon announced it has successfully tested a hot fire rocket motor for DARPA’s Multi-Azimuth Defense Fast Intercept Round Engagement System, or MAD-FIRES. The MAD-FIRES interceptor is designed to provide a robust and affordable self-defense capability that defeats multiple wave
Canadian shipbuilder Irving Shipbuilding on May 3 hosted a ceremony to mark the official start of construction of the Royal Canadian Navy’s fourth arctic and offshore patrol ship (AOPS). The fourth unit will be named after William Hall, a Victoria Cross recipient for heroism and support of the Briti
The US Navy and the UK defense ministry have tested an energy storage system capable of providing high-power electrical pulses for future systems under an agreement called Advanced Electric Power and Propulsion Project Arrangement (AEP3). UK’s Defence Equipment & Support office and Dstl joined force
Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo pulled into Batumi, Georgia, for the ship’s second visit to the eastern European republic in five months. The Plymouth-based research ship is in Batumi as part of her Black Sea operations which can last for a maximum 21 days according to the Montreaux Convention, whic
The US Coast Guard and US Navy have awarded VT Halter Marine a contract for the detail design and construction (DD&C) of the lead Polar Security Cutter (PSC). Under an initial award valued at $745.9 million, the Pascagoula-based shipbuilder will design and deliver the first new heavy icebreaker for
Researchers have located the wreck of an Australian freighter sunk by a Japanese submarine during World War II, 77 years after it was lost. The lost ship was located by maritime archaeologists using CSIRO research vessel Investigator. The SS Iron Crown, a 100-meter long ore freighter, was sunk by a
The UK defense ministry is seeking proposals for the development of an autonomous version of an existing extra large unmanned undersea vehicle (XLUUV). The development would be part of a Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) multi-year themed competition which will seek to develop a platform to un
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Biological Technology Office has partnered with Northrop Grumman for the development of prototype sensing capabilities that would use undersea organisms to detect and track undersea threats. The program is also known as Persistent Aquatic Li
An international search is underway in the Pacific Ocean for a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-35A fighter jet, which disappeared from radar at around 7:30pm local time on April 9. The F-35A lost radar contact approximately 85 miles east of Misawa Air Base. Media reports quoting Japanese mili
German Bundeswehr Technical Center for ships and naval weapons, maritime technology and research (WTD 71) recently completed sea trials of the SeaSpider anti-torpedo torpedo in the Baltic Sea. The trials were carried out sometime in 2018 from a WTD 71 multipurpose vessel in cooperation with defense
The wreck of another historic WWII aircraft carrier has been found by the expedition crew aboard research vessel (R/V) Petrel who discovered wreckage of USS Wasp (CV 7) on January 14. The ship was found in the Coral Sea, 4,200 meters (nearly 14,000 feet) below the surface. USS Hornet, another sunken
