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
A Czech squadron of Gripen fighter jets have reached the second week of their air-maritime integration and carried out joint missions with Danish, French and Icelandic vessels off Iceland. Currently in charge of providing air interception capabilities for Iceland under NATO, the Czech JAS-39 Gripen
Senior lawyers from the US Navy and the Royal Navy met at the stone frigate HMS Excellent for formal joint talks concerning aircraft carrier operations. With the Royal Navy on the cusp of returning to ‘big deck’ aircraft carrier operations when HMS Queen Elizabeth joins the fleet next year, it is ke
The U.S. Navy is currently modifying its Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) to make it capable of deploying the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Scheduled to be completed in March 2017, Essex will be the third big-deck platform to feature the upgrades and will be the first to do a
In collaboration with the French defence procurement agency (DGA), DCNS has unveiled the French Navy’s new FTI (Fregate de Taille Intermediaire) medium-size frigate design at Euronaval in Paris, France. According to DCNS, the 4,000-tonne front-line frigate will be equipped for anti-submarine warfare
Russian cruiser-carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and other ships from its strike group were escorted off the Norwegian coast as they were sailing towards the Mediterranean. NATO said it deployed ships that were under its command to monitor the presence of Russian warships, noting it was routine procedure i
The U.S. Navy has awarded Austal USA a contract to provide engineering and management services support of the Post Shakedown Availability for the Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10). The US$12 million cost-plus-award-fee order is seen as a boost to the company
Australian naval officers recently graduated from a two month Aegis combat systems course at the Combat Systems Engineering Development Site (CSEDS) in New Jersey, United States. The officers learned to use the Aegis Combat System that is installed onboard the RAN’s newest Air Warfare Destroyer, the
Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Vancouver arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, October 18 to conduct a goodwill visit as part of Westploy 16. Westploy 16 is HMCS Vancouver’s deployment aimed at building strong ties between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the navies of Asia-Pacific countries while also
The Irish Navy has commissioned its third offshore patrol vessel, LÉ William Butler Yeats, during an October 17 ceremony in Galway, Ireland. The vessel was officially named by Caitriona Yeats, a granddaughter of the Irish 20th-century poet the ship is named after. LÉ William Butler Yeats was built b
The Royal New Zealand Navy is hosting a 15-nation International Naval Review to mark the 75th anniversary of its existence. The review is scheduled to take place in Auckland next month and is set to see at least 20 vessels and a number of aircraft take part in exercises and manifestations. For the f
Danish defense contractor Terma announced on Tuesday that the Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard Kesatuan Penjaga Laut dan Pantai (KPLP) has ordered the company’s Scanter 6000 radars for navigation, surveillance, and helicopter control. The radars are being integrated with the Northrop Grumman Sperry Ma
Royal Navy’s amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean visited the Egyptian port of Alexandria last weekend, thereby becoming the first UK warship to visit Egypt in over eight years. HMS Ocean visited Egypt as part of Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) 16 and will carry out exercises with partner nations
Amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) left the coast of Haiti October 13 after providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support for the island as part of Joint Task Force (JTF) Matthew. Mesa Verde’s role in the JTF was to support the United States Agency for International De
