The U.S. Navy’s future Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) completed acceptance trials December 16 after spending two days underway off the coast of Maine. USS Rafael Peralta is the third Flight IIA Restart destroyer laid down in October 2014 and christened a year later by the
U.S. Navy sailors from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group will arrive at their homeports December 30 following a seven-month deployment to the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean. More than 6,000 sailors will return home just in time for New Year’s Eve celebrations. The aircraft carrie
Initiating the first step in a process to construct six new Batch III frigates South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed an initial 16.6 billion KRW ($13.7M) with Hyundai Heavy Industries on December 27. The contract will see the shipbuilder start planing and design work
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain arrived in Puerto Princesa, the Philippines for a brief port call on December 24. During the visit, the McCain crew will participate in a series of community service projects and sporting events. The visit comes months after
After 12 years of idleness in port, U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) deployed this year for a busy 2016. After six months underway, the ship is now set to return to Norfolk on December 24. Once there, Wasp will undergo a planned maintenance availability that is expected to be fin
Germany is modernizing the last three of ten Frankenthal 332A class minehunters with a new mine countermeasure system. The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) announced December 21 that Atlas Elektronik, a joint company of ThyssenKrupp and
Midshipmen aboard the Spanish Navy’s training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano concluded the 88th training cruise by docking in Cadiz, Spain, on Friday. The purpose of these training cruises is to contribute to the nautical, military, social and human instruction of Spanish Navy midshipmen (future offi
A junior U.S. Navy officer embarked on a Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy ship as part of the newly created Combined Edge junior officer exchange program, December 21-23. Combined Edge was formed to improve combined warfighting integration between the U.S. and ROK navies by allowing U.S. Navy officers t
U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) docked at the Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan on December 22. The port visit is part of its Indo-Asia-Pacific patrol. “Alexandria departed the shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire a little over one year ago,” said Cmdr. Todd San
Germany has decided to upgrade its Sachsen-class air defense frigates with the aim of improving their contribution to NATO’s missile defense system. The ships’ long range radars are being replaced with new ones that will have a significantly broadened scope of engagement. Apart from defending agains
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon a $64.6 million contract for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), SeaRAM, and land-based Phalanx weapon system. CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-fly
U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is preparing to take an extended 40-plus-month break for its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) maintenance period after nearly 25 years of service. Throughout the first 25 years of an aircraft carrier’s life, it goes through
The Royal Canadian Navy has selected Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s as the next RCN ship to deploy on NATO’s operation Reassurance in early 2017. The frigate will support the standing NATO maritime group 2 (SNMG 2) in the Mediterranean Sea contributing to regional security and stability. HMCS
The U.S. Office of Naval Research has recently tested autonomous unmanned swarming boats during a demonstration in the lower Chesapeake Bay. According to the service, the results have revealed ‘dramatic new possibilities’ for autonomy in future naval missions. Using a combination of software, radar