Surface Vessels
Spain deploys Aegis frigate Cristóbal Colón to NATO’s SNMG2
Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Cristóbal Colón got underway from her homeport in Ferrol on August 25 to join NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegis-equipped frigate will first contribute to the maritime situational awareness picture and counter-terrorism operations in the
USS Carney wraps up Black Sea tour
US Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) exited the Black Sea, August 27, after 15 days of maritime security operations and theater security engagements. USS Carney was in the Black Sea at the same time as USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7), which became the first Spearhead-class expeditiona
Denmark wants to deploy a frigate with France’s carrier strike group in 2019
Denmark’s defense ministry announced on Friday it’s intention to deploy one of its frigates to France where it would join the French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle for exercises in early 2019. Early 2019 is when the Marine Nationale’s sole aircraft carrier is expected to make a return to
German frigate FGS Bayern nearing homeport after Aegean deployment
German Navy frigate FGS Bayern is set to return to her Wilhelmshaven homeport on Saturday after four months of operations in the Aegean Sea. In total, the ship spent over five months underway as part of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), sailing 27,500 nautical miles. Bayern is returning to W
UK F-35B pilots make final preparations ahead of carrier trials
A team of four F-35B test pilots are making final preparations for taking their aircraft aboard Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth next month. Two specially-modified F-35Bs and four pilots – Mr Wilson from BAE, the RN’s Cdr Nathan Gray, Sqn Ldr Andy Edgell and a US Marine Corps aviator
SNMG1 ships train with JMSDF training squadron in Baltic Sea
NATO’s Standing Maritime Group One (SNMG1) met up with a Japan Maritime Self Defense Force training squadron in the Baltic Sea on August 21 for a passing exercise. The JMSDF task group is composed of cadet training vessel JS Kashima and the destroyer JS Makinami. Japan is one of a number of countrie
Russian frigate Admiral Makarov transits English Channel en route to Black Sea homeport
Russia’s third Project 11356 frigate, the Admiral Makarov, transited the English Channel on August 20 as she sails for her new homeport in the Black Sea. The 4,000-ton Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate was escorted through the Channel by Portsmouth-based minehunter HMS Hurworth and a Wildcat HMA2 he
Cammell Laird boasts strong supplier network for Type 31 frigate bid
UK shipbuilder Cammell Laird announced it has built a network of more than 2,000 suppliers that will be involved in the construction of the Royal Navy’s future Type 31 frigate should the Cammell Laird-BAE Systems duo be selected. The shipyard and engineering services company says it is registering m
Royal Navy sailors recognized for accomplishments under “missile threat”
The crew of Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring will be awarded a new medal clasp for bravery shown during Bab al-Mandeb strait escort missions in 2016. Announcing the recognition, the Royal Navy said HMS Daring sailors braved the threat of missile attack to protect merchant ships in the Middle
HMS Queen Elizabeth setting sail for four months of F-35B trials off US coast
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to get underway from HMNB Portsmouth on Saturday for her first-of-class F-35B flight trials. The deployment is dubbed Westlant 18 and will see the carrier spend four months off the Eastern Seaboard of the United States with the aim of deve
Russia’s newest Black Sea fleet corvette starts first Mediterranean deployment
The Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet corvette Vyshny Volochyok transited the Bosphorus on August 16 to start her first Mediterranean Sea deployment. The Buyan-M class vessel is starting the deployment after entering service in May this year and becoming the first corvette in its class to join the Blac
Dutch OPV nabs 406 kilos of cocaine in Caribbean Sea
The Royal Netherlands Navy offshore patrol vessel HNLMS Friesland has seized 406 kilos of cocaine from a vessel in a joint operation with the Sint Maarten coast guard. The drugs were seized on Thursday after a suspect vessel was spotted by Friesland’s NH90 helicopter. According to the Dutch Navy, th
UK restarts Type 31 frigate program competition
After halting a competition for the construction of five Type 31 frigates late July, the UK defense ministry has now relaunched the process. The program was halted on July 24 due to what the defense ministry identified as inadequate competition prior to awarding competitive design phase (CDP) contra
UK, Japan staging first bilateral amphibious drill off Japan
The UK Royal Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force are scheduled to conduct their first joint amphibious exercise in Japanese waters next week. Taking place on August 23 and 24, the exercise will be spearheaded by Royal Navy amphibious assault ship HMS Albion and the JMSDF tank landing ship