The US-based subsidiary of Australian shipbuilder Austal hosted a keel-laying ceremony for the future Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Mobile (LCS 26) in MObile, Alabama on December 14. The ship’s sponsor, Rebecca Byrne, wife of Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala., authenticated the keel for the
US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman returned home on December 16, becoming the first US Navy Nimitz-class carrier to complete a deployment under the new dynamic force employment concept. In all, the flattop spent some seven months on operations since first deploying from naval station Norfolk on
Royal Navy Type 23 frigates HMS Westminster and HMS Monmouth returned to their homeports in Portsmouth and Devonport, respectively, on December 14. Westminster returned after an eight-week stint in the North and Baltic Sea where she trained with other NATO and ally ships as part of NATO’s largest ex
The second Zumwalt-class destroyer, future USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), arrived at its homeport of San Diego December 7, successfully completing her sail around from Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Bath, Maine to California. With underway testing complete, the ship now looks forward to commissioning and
The US Navy will christen its newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, USS St. Louis (LCS 19), during a ceremony in Marinette, Wisconsin, on December 15. The future USS St. Louis, designated LCS 19, honors Missouri’s major port city along the Mississippi River. “The future USS St. Louis honors n
Fairbanks Morse has been awarded a contract to build and deliver the main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE) for the US Coast Guard’s offshore patrol cutter (OPC) #2. The USCGC Chase (WMSM-916) will be constructed by Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Florida, and the MPDE will be built by Fai
Nearly 6,500 sailors from the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) are scheduled to return to Naval Station Norfolk on December 16, after completing an eight-month deployment across the 2nd, 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation. The returning units of HSTCSG include flagship USS Harry S. Tr
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and US Navy sailors have conducted an on-land ballistic missile defense system test at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at Kauai, Hawaii. During the test, the Lockheed Martin-built Aegis Weapon System engaged and intercepted an intermediate range ballistic m
The US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) completed a Live Fire With A Purpose (LFWAP) exercise on December 6. Two Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTI) led teams aboard Abraham Lincoln through LFWAP. They’ve spent the last month w
San Pedro-based fast response cutter (FRC) returned to its homeport on December 8 following a two-week patrol that included the ship’s first drug bust, the US Coast Guard said. The crew of the recently commissioned FRC Forrest Rednour interdicted approximately 1,000 pounds of marijuana from a suspec
The future USS Billings (LCS 15), the US Navy’s new Freedom-variant ship, has completed its acceptance trials in the waters of Lake Michigan. They were completed on December 7 after a series of graded in-port and underway demonstrations on the Great Lakes for the Board of Inspection and Survey. “The
The future USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002), the US Navy’s third Zumwalt-class destroyer, was launched at General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works shipyard on December 9. The newbuilding was translated from land level to the Kennebec River over the weekend. “It’s important for the DDG 1000 program and shipy
The US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) has completed the testing of the ship’s defense capabilities during Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT). As explained, CSSQT tested Abraham Lincoln’s ability to operate onboard weapons systems, including the close-
Royal Canadian Navy has decided to enhance the detection systems of its Halifax-class fleet. The country’s defense ministry announced a contract with Saab Microwave Canada worth $21.7 million. As informed, the contract encompasses an electronically-stabilized antenna set for the Sea Giraffe 180 (SG-
