Sensors & Combat Systems
Australia considering joint South China Sea patrols with Indonesia
Australia is considering an Indonesian invitation for joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea, Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Tuesday. According to Bishop, the option was discussed during last week’s meeting between her, Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne and Indonesian o
USS Mitscher destroyer tests Aegis upgrades with missile firing drill
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) performed a Standard Missile (SM) launch off the coast of Virginia to test the latest version of the Aegis Weapon System. USS Mitscher recently completed the AEGIS ACB-12 upgrade during and extended dry-dock selected rest
Photo: Brazilian Navy’s H225M multirole helicopter unveiled in combat configuration
Airbus Helicopters’ Brazilian subsidiary Helibras recently officially presented the Brazilian Navy’s H225M multirole utility helicopter in a naval combat configuration. Developed and assembled locally by Helibras, this new H225M version is equipped with mission capabilities that include anti-surface
UK Royal Marines first Merlin MK4 helicopter takes flight
The UK Royal Marines first improved Merlin Mk4 performed its maiden flight earlier in the week at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. Working under a 2014-contract worth £330 million (€400), engineers from Leonardo are converting 25 Royal Air Force AW101 Merlin Mk.3 and Mk3A helicopters to replac
Australian Navy’s new replenishment ships to feature Saab’s combat systems
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has contracted Swedish defense contractor Saab to deliver an integrated combat system for the two new Royal Australian Navy replenishment ships. According to Saab, the contract is worth SEK 226 million (approx US$25 milion). Helicopter control radar and decoy system are
Australian minehunter finds US WWII aircraft 44 meters below surface
The crew of the Australian minehunter HMAS Huon has found a missing American World War II plane during a mine clearance operation in the Solomon Islands. The South West Pacific nation was the scene of bitter fighting between US and Japanese forces from 1942 until 1945. At the request of the United S
Northrop Grumman hails AQS-24B demonstration at Unmanned Warrior a success
U.S. based defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation demonstrated its AQS-24B mine hunting system at the Royal Navy-sponsored Unmanned Warrior exercise in Scotland marking the first time the AQS-24B towed mine hunting sensor has been deployed from an unmanned surface vessel in British waters.
Russia to lay keel for first vessel of new class of corvettes
The Russian Navy said it was ready to lay the keel for the first ship in a new class of corvettes also referred to as Project 20386. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg on October 28. Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Korolyov ordered the first vessel to be named
Video: DARPA fits out sub-hunting drone with parasailing sensor
DARPA’s unmanned anti-submarine warfare vessel that is currently undergoing open-water testing off the coast of California recently set sail with its first payload: a prototype of a low-cost, elevated sensor mast developed through the agency’s towed airborne lift of naval systems (TALONS) research e
USS Wasp docks in Greece after four months at sea
U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Wasp rounded off four months at sea as it pulled into Souda Bay, Greece, on October 24. The ship’s crew, embarked Amphibious Squadron 6 staff, and embarked marines spent 121 total days underway, interrupted only by a brief stop for fuel in Rota, Spain, in July
Austal CEO: We don’t do what everybody else does
With an order book of over $3 billion, Austal is the only Australian company to make it into the top 100 defence companies in the world. Operating shipyards in Australia, U.S. and the Philippines, the company constructs ships for both the defence and commercial sector. Defence is at the company’s co
OSI to deliver integrated bridge systems for new Australian replenishment oilers
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has contracted Canadian OSI Maritime Systems to supply two integrated bridge systems (IBS) to the Royal Australian Navy for the AOR (auxiliary oiler replenishment) program. The IBS is based on OSI’s warship INTS (integrated navigation & tactical system) design which OSI
Future US Navy destroyer ‘Rafael Peralta’ completes Alpha trials
The U.S. Navy said its future guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) successfully completed Alpha trials on October 18, after spending two days underway off the coast of Maine. The trials were conducted by shipbuilder Bath Iron Works (BIW), a subsidiary of General Dynamics. Alpha tria
US, UK minehunters team up for Persian Gulf MCM drills
Minehunters from the US and UK kicked off the mine countermeasures exercise 17-1 in the Persian Gulf with a photographic exercise formation on October 19. The bilateral exercise encompassed the full spectrum of mine countermeasures (MCM) from mine detection and identification to mine clearance with