Surface Vessels
Fourth Russian Karakurt-class corvette enters water
St. Petersburg-based Pella Shipyard launched the Russian Navy’s fourth Project 22800 Karakurt-class corvette in a ceremony on October 23. Having started construction in December 2016, ‘Burya’ – which translates to Storm in English – is the fifth Karakurt-class ship in line but the fourth to enter wa
Royal Navy tests upgraded Mk.8 gun
The Royal Navy’s upgraded Mk.8 naval gun fired a 4.5” shell out to sea from shore in a recent test at a Cumbrian range. The trial, part of a £41 million contract with Babcock signed in May 2016 to improve the gun and extend its service life, involved the first land-based firing of a fully-turreted 4
US, UK join forces on cyber front during HMS Queen Elizabeth visit to New York
The UK and US will be teaming up in the fight against growing cyber threats, UK defense secretary Gavin Williamson announced from aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth which is currently on a port visit to New York. Speaking at the Trafalgar night dinner on board the carrier, th
Final two Boracay-class vessels loaded for delivery to the Philippines
French shipbuilder Ocea has completed construction works on the final two Boracay-class FPB 72 MKII fast patrol boats for the Philippine Coast Guard. The company informed that the final two of four boats – Malamawi and Kalanggaman – were loaded onto a cargo vessel going to Subic on October 16, 2018.
USS Harry S. Truman first US carrier to operate in Arctic Circle in 27 years
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) entered the Arctic Circle on October 19, becoming the first US Navy aircraft carrier to do so in nearly 30 years. Accompanied by select ships from Carrier Strike Group Eight (CSG-8), the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) traveled north to conduct
Four injured in helicopter crash aboard French LHD Dixmude
A helicopter from the French Army 1st Combat helicopter regiment crashed aboard the amphibious assault ship BPC Dixmude during night-time flight operations on October 17. Four sailors were injured, one of them seriously, as the helicopter crashed during takeoff, the French defense ministry said. The
F-35Bs flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth drop first test bombs
F-35 Lightning fighter jets have dropped first test bombs during flight trials on board the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The inert GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided precision bombs were dropped off the east coast of the USA, marking another significant milestone in the carrier’s tri
Croatian Navy tests RBS-15 in country’s largest drill in over 20 years
The Croatian Navy performed a test firing of its RBS-15B anti-ship missile, sinking a target vessel in a maneuver conducted as part of the country’s largest military drill since the Croatian War of Independence. The sinking exercise (SINKEX) took place on October 14 in the “Dugi Otok” training range
BAE Systems launches fourth River-class OPV Tamar
BAE Systems has launched HMS Tamar – the fourth of five Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessels – lowering it into the water at its Govan yard. Tamar was then towed three kilometers downstream to the firm’s Scotstoun facility, where fitting out takes place. There she joins the third ship in the
Iwo Jima ESG ships enter European waters ahead of NATO drill Trident Juncture
Ships assigned to the US Navy’s Iwo Jima expeditionary strike group (IWOESG) have entered the US 6th Fleet area of operations as part of a deployment in support of NATO exercise Trident Juncture 18. The strike group will join the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group and US 6th Fleet flagship USS Mou
Brazil shortlists four bidders for Tamandare corvette project
The Brazilian Navy has shortlisted four teams to advance to the next phase of the tendering process for the construction of its new Tamandare-class corvettes. The shortlist was originally expected to be announced by August with a final decision on the winning consortium coming two months later. This
Royal Navy starts F-35B rolling vertical landing trials
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was at the center of an important milestone for the F-35 program as an F-35B performed the first ever shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) British test pilot Peter Wilson conducted the landing this weekend. Previously the jets have conducted only
HMS Queen Elizabeth welcomes US Navy heavyweights on flight trials
After welcoming her first F-35B fighter jets on the flight deck as part of first-of-class flight trials, the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth recently welcomed two US Navy helicopter heavyweights on the deck. The first to land was the United States Navy’s biggest helicopter – the MH-5
USS Harry S Truman joining largest NATO exercise Trident Juncture
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) will be joining the largest NATO exercise which is set to take place in Norway later this month. This is likely the first time an aircraft carrier will be taking part in Trident Juncture – an exercise whose 2018 edition is often referred to as on