Sensors & Combat Systems
Italy’s seventh FREMM frigate takes to sea
The Italian Navy’s seventh FREMM frigate Federico Martinengo took to the sea for the first time in the Gulf of La Spezia earlier this month. During the first sea going several systems installed onboard have been set up and tested successfully. Some of them are newly developed equipment such as the n
Tods Defence to design and build Type 26 sonar domes
Tods Defence, a Unitech Aerospace Company, announced it has been selected by prime contractor BAE Systems to design and manufacture bow sonar domes for the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates. The company announced this contract after a steel-cutting ceremony on Thursday which marked the construction star
Ferra to manufacture submarine navigation radars for Thales Germany
Defense contractor Thales Germany has contracted Australian company Ferra Engineering for sub-assemblies for Phoenice, a Thales tactical navigation radar system for submarines. “Ferra’s success recognises a significant shift from automotive parts in 2002 to the innovative advanced manufacturing comp
UK starts construction of first Type 26 frigate HMS Glasgow
The name of the first Type 26 frigate to be built for the Royal Navy has been announced during a steel-cutting ceremony held at Govan shipyard in Scotland. Pressing the button which officially marked the ship’s construction start, UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced that the first Type 26
Royal Navy assault ship HMS Albion completes first set of trials
Royal Navy assault ship HMS Albion has completed her first set of sea trials, spending four weeks in open waters after being tied to port for six years. After a £90m revamp in her home base which took her out of mothballs and saw 110 major changes and improvements carried out, the assault ship left
BAE Systems picks 14 companies for Type 26 construction
BAE Systems has announced the selection of further 14 companies for work on the UK’s future Type 26 Global Combat Ship. According to BAE, the new contracts will support around 550 jobs and bring the total investment in the supply chain to more than £500m. The largest of the new contracts are for the
NATO research vessel ‘Alliance’ starts Arctic campaign High North 17
The Italian Navy-operated NATO research vessel ‘Alliance’ started a 20-day Arctic Ocean campaign during which scientists will carry out geophysics, marine geology and oceanography research. Dubbed High North 17, the campaign will be joined by scientists from Italian and international organizations i
Saab to work on Swedish Navy Gävle-class corvette upgrades
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has contracted Saab for work on the modification and upgrades of the Swedish Navy’s two Gävle-class corvettes. The BSEK 1.249 (approx. US$148 million) contract will see Saab perform life extension services on HMS Gävle and HMS Sundsvall. Swedish ship
Video: HMS St Albans ready for repair works
More than 128,000 tonnes of water has been pumped out from one of Portsmouth Naval Base’s dry docks to make way for Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans. The ship is undergoing essential repair works following her nine-month deployment – the process of which is made easier by removing all the water surroun
Multi-billion deal: Royal Navy orders three new Type 26 frigates
The first of the Royal Navy’s next-generation frigates will be laid down before the month is out after a £3.7 billion order was placed for three Type 26s. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon yesterday announced the contract with BAE Systems to deliver the first batch of global combat ships. They wi
Hensoldt to take over Kelvin Hughes
German defense contractor and sensor manufacturer Hensoldt is to acquire UK radar specialist Kelvin Hughes after owner ECI Partners agreed to sell its investment in the company. The announcement follows Hensoldt’s acquisition of EuroAvionics in May this year. Hensoldt is a new company, spun off from
BAE Systems, Leonardo join forces for new precision-guided munitions
BAE Systems and Leonardo are teaming up for the development of new precision-guided munitions for advanced, large caliber weapon systems. The companies are expecting to offer new adaptations of Leonardo’s Vulcano — a family of gun-launched munitions that exceed the performance of currently available
Royal Navy sailors find lost US Navy sonar
A team of Royal Navy sailors aboard the minehunter HMS Bangor helped save the U.S. Navy more than $1 million by finding and recovering a previously lost sonar. The large sonar was lost during the latest Anglo-French-US exercise in the Gulf, Artemis Trident. Although the chief aim of the workout was
SAES to deliver diver detection sonar to Kazakhstan Navy
Kazakhstan’s Zenit shipyard has contracted undersea security and defense company SAES to deliver the fourth Intruder Detection Sonar DDS-03 for Kazakhstan Navy ships. Delivery of the new sonar is scheduled for 2018 and it will be the fourth of a series that started in 2015. Moreover, the company say