Sensors & Combat Systems
Govan-based firm marks century of providing periscopes to Royal Navy
One hundred years ago, on the 31st August 1917, the Glaswegian engineering and optical firm Barr and Stroud delivered periscope to the Armstrong-Whitworth yard in Wallsend. Since that date, the Silent Service has looked nowhere else for the apparatus which give its boats their eyes beneath the waves
Modernized Ka-27M helicopters ready for serial delivery to Russian Navy
After delivering the first modernized Ka-27M multirole helicopter to the Russian Navy in December 2016, Rostec subsidiary Russian Helicopters is ready for serial delivery of the Ka-27m aircraft to the Russian Navy. After the first modernized unit passed all tests, the Russian defense ministry in lat
Safehaven to build largest of Royal Navy’s new 38 workboats
Irish boat builder Safehaven Marine has been awarded a contract to build the largest vessel in a new fleet of Royal Navy workboats which are to be delivered by Atlas Elektronik (AEUK). Safehaven Marine will supply an 18 metre Wildcat 60 catamaran, to be part of a fleet of up to 38 new workboats, ran
NATO ships search for mines in Estonian waters
Ships from NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) completed four days of historical ordnance disposal (HOD) operations along with Estonian minehunter ENS Admiral Cowan in Estonian territorial waters on August 17. The ships searched Estonian coastal areas that had not been previousl
UK’s MAPLE autonomous platform project enters fourth phase
UK’s Maritime Autonomous Platform Exploitation (MAPLE) project is entering phase four after defense contractor Qinetiq signed a £4.5m contract to lead this phase of development. The project is being developed for the defense ministry’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and focuses on
Spanish Aegis frigate returns from three-month Australia stint
Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Cristóbal Colón (F-105) returned home to Naval Base Ferrol, Spain, on August 10 after spending three month in Australia where the ship’s crew helped prepare Australian sailors to operate the Aegis combat system. Just the like the future HMAS Hobart, the first of three new a
French La Fayette-class frigate ‘Surcouf’ returns from counter-piracy mission
The French Navy’s La Fayette-class frigate FS Surcouf returned to her homeport at Toulon naval base on August 10 completing a three-month counter-piracy deployment. Surcouf spent over 120 days with the Combined Maritime Forces’ CTF 150 patrolling the Indian Ocean intercepting traffickers between the
UK orders over 30 workboats from Atlas Elektronik
Atlas Elektronik is to deliver up to 38 workboats for the Royal Navy under a £48 million contract announced by UK defense minister Harriett Baldwin on Wednesday. The new fleet will assist Royal Navy ships from UK bases and on operations all over the world. The tasks to be carried out by the boats wi
Spanish Navy receives fourth upgraded Agusta Bell 212
The Spanish defense ministry has received the fourth upgraded Agusta Bell 212 (AB212) helicopter delivered by the joint venture made up of SENER and Babcock. The aircraft is the fourth of overall seven helicopters that are to be upgraded under a project that will extend their lifespan by another 15
Qatar signs €5 billion warship deal amid sanctions row
A €5 billion deal between Italy and Qatar for the construction of seven navy vessels is now official following an announcement made by Qatar’s foreign minister on Wednesday. “I am pleased to announce the conclusion of a deal between the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces to buy seven naval units from Italy i
Babcock, BAE bag £170m worth of Royal Navy contracts
The UK defence ministry’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) office signed a seven-year contract with Babcock International Group to keep Royal Navy ships supplied with items essential for day-to-day maintenance and operations. The contract, announced by defence minister Harriett Baldwin in Portsm
Naval Group appoints Australia executive director
French shipbuilder Naval Group (former DCNS) has appointed a new executive director to work with the Commonwealth of Australia on the Australian Future Submarine program. Jean-Michel Billig, the Australia executive director joined Naval Group in May 2017 as special advisor to Hervé Guillou, Presiden
New British aircraft carriers unwelcome in South China Sea
Responding to the possibility of new UK aircraft carriers operating in the South China Sea, China’s foreign ministry said the deployment would only “stir up trouble”. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang made these remarks after UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson hinted at the possibility of t
Destroyer HMS Duncan first Royal Navy ship to visit Ukraine in eight years
A visit by Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan to the Ukrainian port of Odessa on July 24 marked the first UK warship visit to Ukraine in eight years. The Portsmouth-based destroyer led a NATO task group into the Ukrainian port at the start of a three-day visit ahead of exercises with the host nation’s