Colombian state-owned shipbuilder Cotecmar launched the third offshore patrol vessel for the Colombian Navy, during a December 1 ceremony in Cartagena. The vessel was named ARC Santander and christened in the presence of the Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos. ARC Santander is the third of six o
Members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee have urged lawmakers not to approve the U.S. Navy’s block buy request for the acquisition of frigates and thereby keep oversight of the potentially worrying program. During a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting on Thursday, Paul L. Francis, Gov
Indian shipbuilder Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) has launched the sixth and final Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessels (OPV), in Goa on November 30. The indigenously designed and built OPV is named ICGS Sujay and measures 105 meters in length. GSL has so far delivered three vessels in the class t
Navies and security agencies around the world are increasingly relying on unmanned aerial vehicles for their reconnaissance and surveillance needs, thereby contributing to the development of the overall “drone” market that is expected to reach USD 14.9 billion by 2020. Naval Today recently spoke w
U.S. Navy’s littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) sailed from Changi Naval Base in Singapore November 30, for a routine patrol following a scheduled maintenance period. The 2014-commissioned Coronado arrived in Singapore on October 16 after participating in the 2016 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) e
The U.S. Navy’s Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with embarked marines departed the 7th Fleet area of operations after concluding several port visits and exchanges with partner militaries on November 30. By doing so, the Makin Island ARG is joining the Wasp ARG and the USS Dwight D. Eisenho
Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Álvaro de Bazán returned to her home port after integrating into the Defense and Air Operations Command (MDOA in its Spanish initials). The purpose of this deployment was to conduct air surveillance and naval presence in several western Mediterranean areas. F-100 frigate
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter departed Rota, Spain on November 30 to begin its regularly scheduled deployment. Porter’s operations will provide the ship and crew an opportunity to strengthen and build naval capabilities with allies and partners in the region and
The Australian department of defense announced that it has released a request for tender to three shortlisted designers for the $3 billion dollar offshore patrol vessel project. Christopher Pyne, minister for defense industry, said the request for tender will see Damen, Fassmer and Luerssen team up
Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigate HMCS Toronto was the last ship in the class to finish her modernization refit thereby marking the completion of Canada’s Halifax-class modernization/frigate life extension (HCM/FELEX) project. The $4.3 billion undertaking will allow the 12 Halifax-class fr
Denel’s Umkhonto surface-to-air missile that was installed on the Algerian Navy’s second Meko frigate is set to undergo extensive testing in early 2017. The two frigates, with an option for another two, are built at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Northern Germany. Denel Dynamics supplies the SAM syste
The crew of Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac class frigate HMAS Arunta recently took the opportunity to conduct exercises with their Indian Navy counterparts after a port visit to Goa, India. After a short period alongside that included games of cricket and volleyball, Arunta sailed from Goa in company
U.S. Navy’s George H.W. Bush carrier strike group (GHWBCSG) departed Norfolk on November 28 to begin preparing for an upcoming deployment with a composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX). During COMPTUEX, the group will combine technology, training, and tactics into multiple scenarios leading to c
U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) commanders and French officials from the Charles de Gaulle Strike Group (CDGSG) met while operating together in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Nov. 25, 2016. Having replaced the guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71), Mason is deployed to s
