A US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and a Ticonderoga-class cruiser sailed near South China Sea islands claimed by China in a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) on May 27. USS Higgins (DDG-76) and USS Antietam (CG-54) sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands, which are control
A 75-year-old destroyer and World War II and Korean War veteran officially became the Royal Canadian Navy’s flagship in a ceremony on May 26 in Ontario. The ceremony was part of a two-day community event co-hosted by the Royal Canadian Navy and Parks Canada, in collaboration with the Royal Canadian
German shipbuilder Luerssen – the prime contractor in the Australian SEA 1180 offshore patrol vessel program – has formed a joint venture with Australian engineering and defense contractor Civmec. The joint venture will be called the Australian Maritime Shipbuilding and Export Group and will play a
The US Navy’s seventh Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), USS Manchester (LCS 14), is entering service in a ceremony on Saturday, May 26, at the State Pier in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Moran will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. Sen.
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga has continued her drug interception streak with an additional two hauls of illicit narcotics in the Arabian Sea. The narcotics were intercepted following boarding operations in international waters of the Arabian Sea this week and are valued at approxima
The Royal Navy has taken delivery of the first upgraded Commando Merlin Mk4 which has been designed for Royal Marine aircraft carrier operations. The helicopters are being upgraded to a faster and more powerful aircraft than their predecessors. With a new maritime grey coat, a folding main rotor and
The US defense department has decided to withdraw its invitation for China to take part in the upcoming large-scale exercise Rim of the Pacific in Hawaii. This was announced by Pentagon spokesman Marine Lt. Col. Christopher Logan who said the decision was part of the US response to China’s actions i
A new anti-air missile system designed to protect the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers as well as other ships in the fleet has been declared operational, the UK defense ministry has announced. Developed at a cost of about £850m (approx. US$1.1b), the Sea Ceptor is the Royal Navy’s new short-range
Royal Navy sailors who will be in charge of flight deck operations aboard the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) have visited Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland to get acquainted with the F-35B Lightning II. Up to this point, flying control and flight deck control teams assigne
The US Navy’s newest aircraft carrier was forced to return to port after suffering another propulsion issue as it set out for a new round of at sea testing. The recently-commissioned USS Gerald R. Ford got underway from Norfolk on May 19 but was forced to return due to a propulsion system issue rela
The UK defense ministry’s program for the development of a new class of nuclear missile submarines and Trident nuclear program renewal is facing a £2.9b “affordability gap”, a review by spending watchdog National Audit Office (NAO) has found. This is in addition to the pressure faced by the defense
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) met with Turkish Navy units in the Aegean Sea as they wrapped up 20 days of operations in the Black Sea. Led by the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, SNMG2 ships rendezvoused with Turkish fast patrol boats TCG Mızrak and TCG Volkan after
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile-destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) arrived at US Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka to join the forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) in Japan. The arrival of Milius to the 7th Fleet on Tuesday, May 22, adds another upgraded Aegis Baseline 9 destroyer to the wa
Spain’s Navantia S.A. transferred the intellectual property for the Hobart-class family of warships to Navantia Australia, giving Australia sovereign control over its air warfare destroyer (AWD) capability. Navantia S.A. chairman José Esteban Garcia Vilasanchez formally transferred the intellectual
