Training & Education
Australia, Papua New Guinea start exercise Paradise
Naval forces from Australia and Papua New Guinea have kicked off the bilateral maritime exercise Paradise off the coast of Darwin with patrol boat crews from both countries meeting at Australian Navy base HMAS Coonawarra. Australian exercise director, Commander Alex Hawes said this year’s iteration
Portuguese Navy frigate joining NATO’s SNMG1
Portuguese Navy frigate NRP Francisco de Almeida (F334) departed its homeport of Lisbon Naval Base on August 6 to join NATO’s standing maritime group 1 (SNMG1). The former Karel Doorman-class frigate will join units from Canada, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and Norway for operations in the North and
USS George Washington starting four-year overhaul
The U.S. Navy’s sixth aircraft carrier, USS George Washington, is set to arrive at Newport News Shipbuilding on Friday to begin its four-year mid-life refit after 25 years of service. This was announced by Newport News Shipbuilding president Jennifer Boykin who said the company had been working unde
US Navy patrol ships test fire Griffin missiles in Persian Gulf
Five Bahrain-based U.S. Navy coastal patrol ships carried out a proficiency fire test of their MK 60 Griffin Missile Systems (GMS) July 18-20 in the Persian Gulf. Coastal patrol ships USS Tempest (PC 2), USS Squall (PC 7), USS Chinook (PC 9), USS Firebolt (PC 10) and USS Thunderbolt (PC 12) launched
Royal Navy Merlins complete five-month stint aboard FS Mistral
A group of Royal Navy sailors and marines together with two Royal Navy Merlin Mk3 helicopters spent the past five months deployed aboard the French helicopter carrier FS Mistral during its Jeanne D’Arc mission. FS Mistral, together with frigate FS Courbet, embarked Royal Navy personnel in March for
Lockheed gets $26.5 million for US Navy laser guided training rounds
The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $26.5 million contract to produce Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTR). The contract includes a base year order with options for four additional years. Under the contract, which extends ELGTR production into late 2019, Lockheed Martin will deliver
Crane mock-up helps Norfolk Naval Shipyard save time and money
The U.S. Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) has found a way to save time and money by having training employees learn on a crane mock-up before transiting to the real waterfront ones. The mock-up is in use since July this year. According to Roger Wandover, an electrician and Continuous Training and Devel
NATO SNMG1 joins UK-US carrier-centric drill Saxon Warrior
When the joint UK-US exercise Saxon Warrior kicked off in waters north of Scotland on August 1, 9000 NATO-sailors on 15 warships got underway for the drills. In addition to U.S. and Royal Navy assets, the exercise is joined by the flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1, the Norwegian Navy frig
Watch the Brazilian Navy sink a former Royal Navy frigate during missile exercises
The Brazilian Navy recently concluded a missile exercise in waters off Rio de Janeiro during which ships and aircraft of the navy sank the decommissioned frigate Bosísio. Navy units took turns firing their armaments at the former Royal Navy Type 22 frigate until it sank. A Brazilian Navy S-70B Seaha
Egyptian, Hellenic Navy in aeronautical drills in the Med
Ships, submarines and aircraft from the navies of Greece and Egypt started training activities as part of the bilateral exercise Medusa 1/2017. The aero-nautical exercise runs from July 30 to August 3 and is being held in the Mediterranean Sea in waters north of Cairo, as well as in Alexandria Naval
Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group begins final deployment workups
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and ships from its carrier strike group got underway on August to start the final work-up phase prior to deployment scheduled later this year. Composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) evaluates the strike group’s deployment readiness by testing co
US Army watercraft unit joins Navy drills in Persian Gulf
A U.S. Army watercraft unit based out of Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, took part in the U.S. Navy’s quarterly trilateral exercise in the Persian Gulf, from July 24-26, 2017. The trilateral exercise incorporated the U.S. Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, along with the Kuwaiti Navy and Coast Guard, and I
Lockheed demonstrates topside canister-launched LRASM missile
Shortly after receiving the first production contract for its Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), Lockheed Martin conducted the first-ever launch of the surface-launch variant from a topside canister. The flight test, taking place at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, on July 26, proved the mi
Russia lays down first two Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class submarines
Russian shipbuilder Admiralty Shipyards has laid the keel for the first two of an additional six Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines (NATO reporting name: improved Kilo-class). The ceremony took place on Friday, July 28, in St. Petersburg. The two submarines will be named Pet