HMS St Albans has played a key role in a major exercise in the Gulf testing the abilities of naval forces to defend the region’s scores of gas and oil platforms – vital to the UK and global economy. The Portsmouth-based frigate was Britain’s input to the week-long ‘Stakenet’ exercise, alongside the
HMS Middleton’s gun crew let rip with the minehunter’s 30mm main gun in the middle of the Gulf – probably the highlight of a demonstration day. The Hunt-class ship is one of a four-strong Royal Navy mine warfare force based at Mina Salman port in Bahrain, helping to keep the sea lanes open and promo
PLYMOUTH’S Frigate Alley will soon become ‘Landing Craft, Hovercraft, RIB and ORC Alley’ as Royal Marines units move into a new £25m home in Devonport Naval Base. Two of the commandos’ amphibious formations – 539 Assault Squadron and 10 (Landing Craft) Training Squadron – are to relocate from their
Juliet Marine Systems, Inc. announced today that the US Navy/USPTO have removed Secrecy Orders previously applied to GHOST. For the first time, Juliet Marine is able to release photographs of GHOST, the first super-cavitating craft, to the public. GHOST was designed and built by US Citizens for the
The last time the aircraft carrier once known as the Varyag generated this much concern, it was for fear it might sink… By Austin Ramzy /Dalian (time) [mappress] Source: time, August 11, 2011;
More than 6,000 local Yokosuka residents, friends, and family members waited in a line stretching over a mile to tour the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82), during the 35th Friendship Day at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka Aug. 6. “We are very pleased to serve as t
The Navy’s chief of operations, in San Diego last week, defended the service’s embattled new vessel class, the littoral combat ship… (signonsandiego) [mappress] Source: signonsandiego, August 10, 2011;
The U.S. Navy continues to invest in its destroyer and cruiser fleets, awarding $265.4 million in contracts and contract modifications for A… By Michael Fabey (aviationweek) [mappress] Source: aviationweek, August 10, 2011;
China’s first aircraft carrier held its sea trial Wednesday, a step likely to stoke patriotic pride at home and jitters abroad about Beijing… By Chris Buckley (reuters) [mappress] Source: reuters, August 10, 2011;
THE waters of the English Channel fall away from a Viking as a Royal Marine drives the armoured vehicle into the loading bay of HMS Bulwark. Although the Viking has been in service with the commandos for nearly a decade, this is actually a first: the amphibious assault ship is seeing whether it’s po
THERE’S nothing like a ship’s homecoming. Tears. Smiles. Hugs. Kisses. Laughs. Glasses of champers. Banners. Union Jacks. Royal Marines Band. Huge White Ensigns. A flypast. Joy. Raw emotion. Two homecomings within minutes of each other, well that’s just magical. Britain’s flagship HMS Albion complet
On August the 5th and after 88 days, the Greek frigate HS NIKIFOROS FOKAS conducted her last day of operations as part of the EU NAVFOR Task Force. Throughout her deployment she was assigned to conduct several tasks, such as: patrolling the International Recommended Traffic Corridor, escorting World
France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will next week return home for maintenance from its mission supporting NATO airstrikes on Libya… (brecorder) [mappress] Source: brecorder, August 9, 2011;
USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) (Sammy B) departed Tanzania after an eight-day training hub in support of Africa Partnership Station (APS) East, Aug. 8. The crew played a vital role in the hub’s success, which saw the graduation of 96 students from African partner nations in courses such as search an