Surface Vessels
UK: HMS Liverpool Bids Farewell to Namesake City
Veteran destroyer HMS Liverpool is saying an emotional six-day farewell to her namesake city as she prepares to bow out of front-line service after 30 years. HMS Liverpool will take her bow in the city for which she is named as she pays her final visit to Merseyside after three decades’ sterling ser
Counter Piracy Commander Welcomes UK Warship to Task Group
Commodore Aage Buur Jensen of the Royal Danish Navy and Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces’ counter piracy force (CTF-151), has paid a flying visit to the latest frigate to arrive in theatre under his command. HMS Westminster is currently at sea in the Gulf of Aden where the Commodore’s Flags
CTF-151 Discusses Counter-Piracy Aboard Russian Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship Admiral Tributs
Members of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, embarked aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97), met with Russian leadership aboard the Russian anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Tributs, Feb. 19. The meeting gave the two naval leaders the opportunity to discuss counter-piracy operations and
ESPS INFANTA ELENA Joins EUNAVFOR
ESPS INFANTA ELENA, a Descubierta class corvette, joins the EUNAVFOR operation ATALANTA today, 27 February. ESPS INFANTA ELENA, commissioned into the Spanish Navy in April 1980 is a patrol ship of 1200 tonnes. The Spanish ship joins OP ATALANTA operations with the mission to protect vulnerable shipp
Navantia, Veercraft Marine Sign MOU on Patrol Vessels for South Africa Navy
Navantia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Veercraft Marine, the shipbuilding company located in South Africa, in which both parties wish to collaborate with regards to the construction of Offshore Patrol Vessels and Inshore Patrol Vessels for the South Africa Navy, in relation with BIRO
UK: Navy Helps Reduce Somali Pirate Activity
Following his posting as Commander of the UK Counter-Piracy Task Group, Captain Gerry Northwood, Royal Navy, has written in The Times newspaper about how concerted efforts are helping reduce attacks on merchant vessels. Captain Northwood writes: “Eleven pirates on board with automatic weapons and ro
HMS Somerset to Return Home After Six-Month Deployment
An emotional homecoming is expected when the Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset returns to HM Naval Base Devonport, Plymouth, on Friday (24 February) following a six-month deployment to the Middle East. HMS Somerset’s second-in-command Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Ben Aldous, said: “Our home
INS Vikramaditya’s Aircraft-Related Facilities Almost Ready
Designers of JSC Sevmash shipyard are resolving complex technical issues when working on Project 11430 aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya being modernized for Indian Navy, reports the shipyard’s press service. For Sevmash, INS Vikramaditya is one of the major projects to be completed in 2012. Main we
Russia: Severnaya Verf Shipyard to Construct 13 Warships
St. Petersburg based JSC Severnaya Verf Shipyard has been contracted by the Defense Ministry to construct 13 warships for the Russian Navy. The contract includes construction of six corvettes of the Project 20385 and the Project 20380, six Project 22350 frigates and a reconnaissance ship. Official k
France: Lynx Helicopter Lands on FREMM Frigate for First Time
DCNS has achieved formal qualification of the FREMM frigate Aquitaine‘s flight deck for operations with the Lynx helicopter. This milestone was reached several months ahead of schedule after a successful deck landing campaign at sea, organised by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) in early
UK: Construction of HMS Prince of Wales Starts at BAE Systems
Production on HMS PRINCE OF WALES, the second Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier, has started today at BAE Systems in Portsmouth Naval Base – the future home of the Queen Elizabeth Class. Work on the forward section of the hull, known as Lower Block 02, commenced as Commander-in -Chief Fleet Adm
USS Bonhomme Richard Sailor Visits BHR After 50 Years
As USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) steams west from San Diego to Pearl Harbor en route to a scheduled hull-swap with USS Essex (LHD 2), Sailors onboard may notice a couple of unique passengers. One of them is a 1960’s A3 aircraft from the Vietnam War era; the other is a retired master chief, […]
Russia: Amur Shipyard Holds Construction-Starting Ceremony of Second Serial Project 20380 Corvette
A festive construction-starting ceremony of second serial Project 20380 corvette took place at Amur Shipyard on Feb 17; the ship was christened Gromky and is expected to join Pacific Fleet, city administration of Komsomolsk-on-Amur told Central Navy Portal. The ceremony was attended by Khabarovsk Go
UK: Royal Navy’s Next Generation Helicopter Completes Trials Aboard HMS Iron Duke
The Royal Navy’s next generation helicopter, Wildcat, has completed 20 days of demanding trials aboard HMS Iron Duke, laying the groundwork for future operations. Wildcat landed nearly 400 times on the frigate’s flight deck by day and night in various weather conditions as the ship sailed off the co