French defense and technology company Thales announced it was awarded a 42-month contract from the French defense procurement agency (DGA) to carry out a set of studies and technological developments in support of a sonar system that will equip the third-generation of the French nuclear-powered ball
A new Royal Navy small survey vessel that will replace the recently decommissioned HMSML Gleaner will be named HMS Magpie, Royal Navy First Sea Lord Admiral Philip Jones announced. The last HMS Magpie was commanded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in Malta in the early 1950s. Motor Survey launch Magpie
French autonomous systems developer ECA Group announced its participation in the EU-led autonomous systems integration project OCEAN2020. With Italy’s Leonardo at the helm, ECA Group will join partners from 15 European countries to work on the first cross-European military research program to-date.
The US Navy has awarded General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) a contract to develop advanced, high energy density capacitors for use in High Power Microwave (HPM) systems. GA-EMS is applying advanced technologies to create high energy density capacitors that will enable the deployment of
US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced it has completed testing and trials of the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) vessel. The technology demonstration vessel, christened Sea Hunter, has now been delivered to the Office of Naval Research (
UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has awarded QinetiQ a contract under which the company is to lead a new collaborative enterprise that will simplify maritime research and development for the UK defense ministry. Under the Progeny Maritime Research Framework contract, QinetiQ wil
HMCS Sackville, Canada’s oldest warship and the sole remaining Flower-class corvette, is set to undergo much needed reparations after a CAD$3.5 million contract was announced by the Canadian government this week. The funds are awarded to the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust for extensive repairs of the
The Canadian government has awarded Raytheon Canada a CAD$704 million contract for the upkeep and upgrades of close-in weapon systems (CIWS) aboard Royal Canadian Navy ships. The in-service support contract will be valid until late 2037, and comprises an initial 10-year service period with three opt
The US Navy announced it is starting a mission to survey the downed C-2A Greyhound aircraft that crashed into the Philippine Sea en route to aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on November 22. The navy will carry out the mission with help from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s research vessel R/V Pet
Looking for new technologies to improve the operation of unmanned underwater vehicles, the Royal Navy used the Maritime Enterprise Innovation Scotland Conference (MEISC) to set challenges for developers. During the conference, held at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow on January 24, two speci
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developer UMS SKELDAR has joined the European Defence Fund’s OCEAN2020 autonomous systems project with its Skeldar V-200 UAV, the company announced on January 22. UMS SKELDAR is joining the naval surveillance technology project alongside its partner Saab. OCEAN2020 is t
The Spanish Navy-operated polar research ship B.I.O. Hespérides has started the second phase of the 31st Spanish Antarctic Campaign after a three and a half-month voyage from her homeport in Cartagena. After making port calls in Mar de Plata and Ushuaia, the ship proceeded towards the Antarctic cont
US Naval Surface Forces commander Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden stepped down from his position on January 18 in the aftermath of US Navy destroyer collisions in the Pacific in 2017. Rowden stepped down ahead of a recommendation for his relief as part of a series of measures taken following the loss of 17
Italian defense company Leonardo was selected to lead the first European Defence Fund’s initiative project which will see the integration of unmanned platforms in surveillance and interdiction missions. OCEAN2020, as the project is called, is issued by the European Union under the ‘Preparatory Actio
