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
Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and Sailors deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) celebrated the life and service of Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Kyler L. Estrada during a memorial service on board the ship, Feb. 17. Estrada, a Fleet Marine Force S
Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) supported the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) by participating in NMCRS Day, Feb. 19. In addition to a series of recent fundraising raffles, events included a slam dunk contest and three-point shootout in the
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
The Seattle “Sea Gals,” official cheerleaders for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, performed for Sailors and Marines deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) Feb. 13 as the ship conducted operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. The event, sponsored by Armed Fo
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
The “Kestrels” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137 received the 2011 Strike Fighter Wing Pacific (CSFWP) Scott Kirby Award for Ordnance Excellence, Feb. 6. The award recognizes proficiency, professionalism and safety in ordnance handling and delivery. The Kestrels’ Aviation Ordnance (AO) division w
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
USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Diversity Council hosted a ceremony for the crew in the ship’s hangar bay, Feb. 17, in celebration of African-American History Month. Lincoln Sailors performed songs by African-American artists and viewed various displays and presentations acknowledging the achievement
Amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) conducted beach and flight operations Feb. 13, to conclude the seventh annual exercise Iron Fist 2012 off the coast of San Clemente Island, with elements from 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. The exercise demonstra
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
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, […]
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
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
