Sensors & Combat Systems
Royal Navy sailors recognized for accomplishments under “missile threat”
The crew of Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring will be awarded a new medal clasp for bravery shown during Bab al-Mandeb strait escort missions in 2016. Announcing the recognition, the Royal Navy said HMS Daring sailors braved the threat of missile attack to protect merchant ships in the Middle
HMS Queen Elizabeth setting sail for four months of F-35B trials off US coast
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to get underway from HMNB Portsmouth on Saturday for her first-of-class F-35B flight trials. The deployment is dubbed Westlant 18 and will see the carrier spend four months off the Eastern Seaboard of the United States with the aim of deve
UK restarts Type 31 frigate program competition
After halting a competition for the construction of five Type 31 frigates late July, the UK defense ministry has now relaunched the process. The program was halted on July 24 due to what the defense ministry identified as inadequate competition prior to awarding competitive design phase (CDP) contra
Royal Navy frigate wraps up seven-month Asia Pacific deployment
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland returned to her homeport at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport on August 10, concluding a seven-month deployment to the Asia-Pacific. Sutherland and her crew got underway on January 9, becoming the first Royal Navy vessel to operate in Asia Pacific in rece
Germany unveils names of five new K130 corvettes
The Bundeswehr’s five new corvettes will be named after German cities.
UK F-35Bs start vertical landing pad training
The UK’s short take off vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B jets have started training on the first of three vertical landing pads at RAF Marham. The VLPs are built for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation by a joint venture between Galliford Try and Lagan Construction. The Norfolk site is the main op
Leonardo, Ultra, L3 Technologies partner to offer anti-submarine warfare acoustic system
Defense technology companies Leonardo, L3 Technologies and Ultra Electronics Command & Sonar Systems have teamed up to offer a “complete” anti-submarine warfare acoustic system. The system – announced by Leonardo at the Farnborough Airshow 2018 – is based on the company’s new ULISSES (Ultra-LIght So
GA-ASI to integrate Leonardo’s SAGE EWS into MQ-9B UAV
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) has teamed up with Leonardo to integrate SAGE electronic warfare surveillance system onto its MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicle. SAGE will be offered as an available baseline configuration for MQ-9B customers of Sky Guardian and maritime surveillance Se
New KraitArray sonar ready for sea trials
UK company Systems Engineering and Assessment’s (SEA) Krait Defence Anti-Submarine Warfare system is moving forward with the final trials of the extended 150m ultra-thin towed array. Unveiled in September 2017, the new KraitArray uses multi-module assembly philosophy and is now established in-servic
Brazilian Navy’s 2nd upgraded Super Lynx helicopter completes maiden flight
The Brazilian Navy’s second upgraded Super Lynx helicopter has performed its maiden flight from Yeovil, UK. The maiden flight started from the headquarters of Leonardo Marconi Westland (LMW) and was completed on June 21, 2018, the navy said in a statement. The N-4004 aircraft, the second of the eigh
Polish Navy to receive ORP Slazak in 2019, 18 years after keel-laying ceremony
The Polish defense ministry announced on June 29 that it has awarded PGZ a contract to complete outfitting works and all trials on the offshore patrol vessel ‘Ślązak’ and subsequently deliver it to the Polish Navy. According to the announcement, Ślązak is set to start trials in July 2018 while the d
MBDA opens new UK plant
European missile manufacturer MBDA has opened a new facility in Bolton, Great Britain, in a ceremony attended by UK defense secretary Gavin Williamson. During the ceremony, the defense secretary unveiled a plaque to mark the completion of five years of work and £50 million worth of investment into t
Royal Navy commissions new survey ship HMS Magpie
The Royal Navy’s newest survey ship has been formally welcomed into the naval family in her home of Devonport. The commissioning ceremony for the new ship, named HMS Magpie, was held on June 28, 2018. Among the attendees was the Duke of Edinburgh, who was in charge of the previous Magpie between 195
Polish, US Navy partner for first cooperative hydrographic survey
The US Naval Oceanography’s Fleet Survey Team (FST) and Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center (NOMWC) recently joined the Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise for an opportunity to develop interoperability with European allies in mine countermeasure operations. FST and the Hydrographic Support Squa