Sensors & Combat Systems
DCNS Floats FREMM Multi-Mission Frigate Languedoc
On 12 July 2014, DCNS floated the FREMM multi-mission frigate Languedoc in Lorient, France. The achievement of this industrial milestone marks an important step in the construction of the vessel. It once again underlines the industrial dynamism of DCNS: five multi-mission frigates are under simult
US Navy’s Vella Gulf Leaves Black Sea
Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) departed the Black Sea, July 14, after completing a round of engagements designed to strengthen ties with partners and allies in the Black Sea region. While in the Black Sea, Vella Gulf conducted a port visit in Bulgaria to prepare fo
USS Vella Gulf Ends Exercise Breeze
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and other naval forces from Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Greece and Romania completed the at-sea portion of Exercise Breeze, July 11. A multinational, Bulgarian-led maritime exercise, Breeze consisted of a wide variety of drills acros
USS Mount Whitney Arrives for Belgian Navy Days 2014
The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Zeebrugge, Belgium, July 3 to participate in the Belgian Navy Days 2014. Belgian Navy Days 2014 is a maritime festival similar to the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Week. During Belgian Navy Days 2014 Mount Whitney will be hostin
Europe’s Biggest Aircraft Carrier Officially Named
History was made today as Her Majesty The Queen officially named the Royal UK Navy’s new aircraft carrier. At 56 metres she is taller than Niagara Falls and, with a flight deck the size of 60 tennis courts, she is the largest ship ever built for the Royal Navy. Today, at HMS Queen Elizabeth’s [&he
Cristóbal Colón Provides Air Protection to USS Vella Gulf
The frigate ‘Cristóbal Colón’ (F-105) has participated in a ballistic missile defense (BMD) exercise in the Mediterranean Sea on June 26th and 27th, providing air protection to the US Navy cruiser ‘USS Vella Gulf’ (CG-72) whose combat system is capable of intercepting ballistic targets outside the e
Brazilian Navy to Upgrade Lynx Mk21A Helicopters
Brazilian Navy’s Naval Aviation has signed a contract for a major midlife upgrade of eight Lynx Mk21A helicopters with Finmeccanica – AgustaWestland. The contract, valued in excess of US$160 million (€117 million), includes replacement of the aircraft’s engines with the CTS800-4N product from LHTE
FREMM Normandie Ends Trials off Toulon
The FREMM Normandie multi-mission frigate, second of the series ordered by OCCAR on behalf of the French DGA (General Directorate for Armament) and the French Navy, has just completed five weeks of intense activities off the Toulon coast. These trials have allowed the validation of the frigate’s c
Nave Galatea Conducts Surveys in Venice and Marghera
Nave Galatea, Italian Navy’s coastal hydrographic unit, is currently engaged in geodetic and topographic surveys in Venice and Marghera for the 2014 Idro-Oceanigraphic Campaign. These two areas are characterized by peculiar tidal rhythms and subjected to evolutionary dynamics, such as subsidence (
BAC Cantabria Arrives in La Graña Naval Station
The auxiliary oil replenishment ship (BAC in its Spanish initials) ‘Cantabria’ has just arrived at La Graña Naval Station after a ten-day deployment off the coast of Cádiz, training with other Spanish Navy units. On June 17th the ‘Cantabria’ set sail towards Rota for a threefold mission: to collab
FGS Brandenburg Escorts WFP Voyage Chartered Vessel
Over a period of three days FGS Brandenburg has escorted a World Food Programme (WFP) voyage chartered vessel from Djibouti to Bosaso, which is the capital of Puntland. The WFP vessel had about 3,000 tonnes of food on board, which was destined for displaced people in Somalia. Protecting WFP vessel
VIDEO: Hydroid, Kongsberg Produce HD Images of Two WWII U.S. LSTs
A successful partnership between Hydroid Inc. and Kongsberg GeoAcoustics has produced the first high-definition images of two WWII U.S. Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) that lie off the coast of South Devon, UK. The vessels were sunk on April 28, 1944 by German torpedo boats that interrupted the Exercise
Babcock Starts Work on Type 26 AWHS Design
Babcock has begun work on the first phase of the contract to design and supply the Air Weapons Handling System (AWHS) for the UK’s new Type 26 Global Combat Ship (GCS) announced recently by BAE Systems. Under the full contract Babcock will design, manufacture, test and oversee the installation of
HMS Somerset Celebrates 20th Birthday
It’s not every day that a Royal Navy warship celebrates her 20th birthday and HMS Somerset has done so in style. Currently in the final month of her deployment, Somerset, and her seaboats, have drawn the number 20 across the blue seas of the Mediterranean. The 200 men and women have adopted the ta