Surface Vessels
German frigate ‘Augsburg’ returns from final deployment
German Navy F122 frigate FGS Augsburg will return to her Wilhelmshaven homeport on Friday, Februrary 15, concluding her final operational deployment. The frigate is one of only two ships in her class and is scheduled to retire this year after 30 years of service. In addition to concluding her final
Refurbished Italian Harrier returns home aboard USS Kearsarge
An Italian AV-8B Harrier hitched a ride home aboard Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) after six months of maintenance in the US. The Italian aircraft, along with its flight crew, returned to Grottaglie Naval Base, Italy, on January 3, after the six months of scheduled maintena
Fourth Viana do Castelo-class OPV enters Portuguese Navy service
The Portuguese Navy commissioned its fourth Viana do Castelo-class Offshore Patrol Vessel – the NRP Setúbal – in a February 6 baptism ceremony at the West Seas shipyards, in Viana do Castelo. The ceremony was attended by the Portuguese defense minister João Gomes Cravinho and the Chief of Staff of t
Royal Navy receives C-Enduro autonomous vessel
The Royal Navy received the long-endurance autonomous vessel known as the C-Enduro, vessel manufacturer L2 ASV announced on February 5. The C-Enduro will be used for military data gathering trials by the mine countermeasures and hydrographic capability (MHC) programme as the navy seeks to exploit au
Germany issues RFI for new radars for Sachsen-class air defense frigates
Germany’s defense procurement agency BAAINBw is seeking to replace the current SMART-L radars aboard the German Navy’s Sachsen-class (F124) air-defense frigates, according to a request for information (RFI) issued on January 28. As stated in the RFI, the goal is to replace the Dutch-built radars cur
Sunken Norwegian frigate nearly ready for salvage as all torpedoes detonated
All torpedoes from the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad have been removed and detonated over a course of two days as navy and civilian crews finalize preparations for the lifting of the ship. The country’s defense ministry did not specify exactly how many Sting Ray torpedoes were det
HMS Montrose visits Darwin on second Asia Pacific port visit
After becoming the first Royal Navy ship to visit Auckland, New Zealand, in 20 years, Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose visited Darwin, Australia. Continuing a trend, the frigate became the first Royal Navy warship in a decade to visit Australia’s northernmost and remotest city. The Plymouth-based warshi
US, Spanish, Italian warships start drills with French aircraft carrier off Toulon
Ships form the navies of Spain, Italy, and the US got underway from the French naval base in Toulon on February 3 to join the French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle and ships form its carrier strike group on their final pre-deployment exercise. The carrier is on the final leg of deployment pre
Atlas pitches MCM toolbox for new Belgian, Dutch minehunters
German-based technology company Atlas is offering a set of mine countermeasures (MCM) systems for a new class of minehunters that are to be built for the Belgian and Dutch Navy. The current minehunters operated by Belgium and the Netherlands were integrated by Atlas Elektronik and are equipped with
NATO’s SNMG1 readies for exercise Dynamic Guard
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group ONE (SNMG1) are on a scheduled port visit in Bergen where thy are finalizing planning for Allied Maritime Command led exercise Dynamic Guard 19-1. Hosted by Norway, Dynamic Guard is a multi-national exercise, merged with Norwegian led exercise TG 19-1 and ai
Babcock completes upgrades of Estonian Navy flagship EML Admiral Cowan
Estonian Navy minehunter EML Admiral Cowan received a series of upgrades during a dry dock period in Fife, Scotland, Babcock International – the company in charge of the upgrades announced. Admiral Cowan is the Estonian Navy flagship and the first of three Estonian Navy minehunter vessels scheduled
Russia commissions third Aleksandrit-class minesweeper ‘Ivan Antonov’
The Russian Navy commissioned its third Aleksandrit-class minesweeper Ivan Antonov in a ceremony on January 26. The flag raising ceremony for Ivan Antonov was held in Baltiysk and the ship will be homeported in Sevastopol as part of the Russian Navy’s Baltic Sea fleet. The Sredne-Nevsky shipbuilding
US destroyer exits Black Sea after drills in Georgia
US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) exited the Black Sea after nine days of operations in the region. The destroyer transited the Bosphorus Strait en route to the Mediterranean Sea on January 28 after a port visit to Batumi, Georgia, and training with the country’s coast guard
Fincatieri launches Spartaco Schergat, Italy’s ninth FREMM frigate
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri launched the navy’s ninth FREMM frigate – the future ITS Spartaco Schergat – at its Riva Trigoso, Genoa, shipyard on January 26. Godmother of the ceremony was Mrs. Anna Rosa Aonzo Grillo, daughter of the Golden Medal for Military Value, Giuseppe Aonzo. After the launc