HMS Audacious, the fourth of overall seven Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines the Royal Navy will operate, was launched on April 28, at BAE Systems’ Devonshire Dock Hall, in Scotland. The naming ceremony of the 7,400 tonne, 97-metre long submarine took place in December last year, one year afte
In addition to being delayed, German Navy’s new Multi-role Combat Ship 180 (Mehrzweckkampfschiff MKS 180) will come with an additional cost of over €500 million, according to media reports. A letter sent by deputy defense minister Markus Gruebel to lawmakers on Tuesday said the extra €500 million ar
Works on the Royal Navy’s fifth follow-on River-class offshore patrol vessel began with a steel cutting ceremony on Friday, April 21. Tony Douglas, head of UK’s defense procurement organisation, pressed the button to cut the first sheet of steel for the HMS Spey at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Sco
The U.S. Coast Guard received its 23rd fast response cutter (FRC), Benjamin Dailey, in a ceremony in Key West, Florida, on April 20. The Bollinger Shipyards-built FRC will be stationed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is scheduled for commissioning in July. The cutter will be the first FRC stationed
The UK Ministry of Defense has announced a new £1.4 billion contract for the construction of the Royal Navy’s sixth Astute-class submarine. Named HMS Agamemnon, the submarine is the sixth of overall seven boats to be built for the Royal Navy. The nuclear-powered submarines are being built by BAE Sys
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded BAE Systems Land & Armaments a $40 million contract ordering more Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS) canisters for its guided missile cruisers and destroyers. The contract modification also includes orders for ally navy platforms. Mk 41 VLS is used to l
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair a $19.4 million contract to perform post shakedown availability (PSA) work on the U.S. Navy’s two new Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. The contract will see BAE Systems perform maintenance and eventual rep
Kongsberg Defence Systems (KONGSBERG) has entered into a contract with the Australian Department of Defence worth 150 MNOK (1 NOK = 0.12 USD) for integration of a new capability in the Joint Strike Missile (JSM). This contract is a result of the agreement reached between the Norwegian and Australian
The U.S. Department of Defense last week awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth more than £80m (US$102.2m) to deliver the initial training, engineering, maintenance and logistics support for the UK’s F-35 Lightning II fleet over a three year period. Lockheed Martin has sub-contracted work worth £4
The Australian government on Friday released the Request for Tender (RFT) for the Royal Australian Navy’s $35 billion Future Frigate project. The RFT was issued to the three shortlisted designers: British BAE Systems, Italy’s Fincantieri and Spain’s Navantia. Minister for Defence Industry, Christoph
A new flight simulator for the F-35B Lightning II aircraft is now ready to help prepare pilots to take the real aircraft on flight trials on the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth next year. The simulator will test pilots’ skills to the limits as they practise landing on the deck
Eastern Shipbuilding Group has brought in British company Babcock International to provide platform engineering design for the design and construction phases of the United States Coast Guard’s new Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) class vessels. Under the contract, Babcock will deliver a whole ship 3D mo
U.S. Coast Guard Base Ketchikan, Alaska welcomed fast response cutter John McCormick (WPC-1121) and its crew who arrived on Friday following a 6,200-mile trip from Key West, Florida. The John McCormick is the first fast response cutter to be homeported on the West Coast and will provide increased ca
Australia’s minister for defence industry visited a Spanish Navy frigate downselected for the Future Frigate programme on Friday to inspect the capabilities of the ship. Minister Christopher Pyne went aboard the F-100 frigate ESPS Cristobal Colon for a tour of the ship and an update on the progress