U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and ships from its carrier strike group arrived in Portsmouth, UK, today ahead of a major two-week drill. Accompanied by the USS Philippine Sea, USS Donald Cook and Norwegian ship HNoMS Helge Insgstad, the aircraft carrier is on the final leg of its de
Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine HMS Astute has returned to the fleet after completing a major capability upgrade and a sea training period. HMS Astute’s sea training process tested all aspects of the equipment and crew, ensuring that she is ready to respond to emergency situatio
A visit by Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan to the Ukrainian port of Odessa on July 24 marked the first UK warship visit to Ukraine in eight years. The Portsmouth-based destroyer led a NATO task group into the Ukrainian port at the start of a three-day visit ahead of exercises with the host nation’s
Armed forces from 19 nations concluded two weeks of multinational exercises and events at-sea and in port, in Loma, Peru. The 58th iteration of the longest running multinational naval exercise closed on July 26. Participating nations utilized 30 vessels, 28 aircraft as well as several submarines and
U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain, after completing a four month patrol that began April 3, 2017. At the beginning of the ship’s fifth forward-deployed patrol, Ross and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-miss
The combined U.S.-Australian exercise Talisman Saber 2017 concluded in Brisbane on July 25 after 30 days of high-end, mid-intensity warfighting scenarios. Two years in the planning, Talisman Saber involved approximately 33,000 participants, 36 warships and over 220 aircraft. Luke Howarth MP, Austral
The U.S. Navy and Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the first production contract for the air-launched variant of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) on July 25. Worth $86.5 million, the contract will see the company deliver 23 missiles and engineering support. Low-rate initial production Lot 1
After concluding their drills with the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea, ships from the Chinese Navy’s task group are scheduled to visit Finland for a regularly scheduled port call. Three Chinese warships, Type 052D destroyer Hefei (DDG-174), Type 054A frigate Yuncheng (571) and Type 903 replenishment
In one of Iran’s more daring challenges to U.S. Navy vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, an Iranian naval vessel came within 150 yards of a U.S. Navy ship forcing it to fire warning shots. According to the U.S. Central Command, coastal patrol ship USS Thunderbolt was operating in international wa
Indian shipbuilder Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) launched two offshore patrol vessels for the Indian Navy at its shipyard in Pipavav on July 25. Named Shachi and Shruti, the OPVs are the first two of overall five planned ships in the class. The primary role of the NOPVs will be to
German Navy’s Frankenthal-class minehunter FGS Sulzbach-Rosenberg will be joining NATO’ Standing Mine Counter Measure Group 1 (SNMCMG1) operating in the Baltic and North Seas, the German Navy has announced. The minehunter is set to depart its home port of Kiel, Germany, on July 28 to spend the follo
Warm-up exercises are already underway as Japanese and U.S. forces prepare for more complex scenarios of the annual 2JA mine countermeasure exercise (2JA MCMEX). The annual exercise, which officially began July 19, brings together Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and U.S. Navy surface and a
Clearance divers from the Royal Navy’s Faslane-based Northern Diving Group (NDG) helped recover historic World War Two bouncing bombs from the bottom of Loch Striven. On Wednesday, July 19, three of the famous “Highball” bombs broke the surface of the Argyll Loch for the first time in over 70 years.
Taking charge of the largest amphibious assault conducted by an Australian force in 70 years as part of exercise Talisman Saber presented an opportunity to shine for the Amphibious Task Group Headquarters. The assault, led from amphibious asssault ship HMAS Canberra, was a significant milestone in t
