Training & Education
Virginia-class sub Hawaii returns home to Pearl Harbor
US Navy’s Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) completed a six-month deployment to Asia-Pacific on June 6 as it returned home to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Hawaii traveled over 40,000 nautical miles during the deployment, conducting operations vital to national security. Th
German sub U36 returning home after international maneuvers
German Navy Type 212 submarine U36 is set to return to its Eckernförde homeport on Friday after almost five months of operations. The U36 operated out of Norway where it strengthened bonds with the Royal Norwegian Navy, which will soon receive its own Type 212 CD submarines. “The decision to base U3
HMS Queen Elizabeth to join NATO’s Readiness Initiative
Once the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth starts operations in 2021, it will be made available to deploy as part of NATO’s Readiness Initiative. The UK prime minister announced on May 4 that the first of the UK’s Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, together with the F-35 fighte
USS Gerald R. Ford Ship Self Defense System aces dual-target test
The US Navy and Raytheon have completed the final developmental test of the Ship Self Defense System, or SSDS, Integrated Combat System for the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The test took place off the coast of California from the Navy’s unmanned self defense test ship simulating a scenario CVN 78 ma
First phase of Baltic Protector wraps up in Denmark
Marines from a number of European countries raided the coast of Denmark for the conclusion of first stage of the two-month Baltic Sea maneuver Baltic Protector. British Royal Marines and their Dutch counterparts waged a battle around the towns of Esbjerg and Varde in western Denmark, taking on Danis
USS Abraham Lincoln, B-52 bomber in joint ops in Arabian Sea
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and the US Air Force’s B-52H Stratofortress met up in the Arabian Sea for joint operations on June 1. During the exercises, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, attached to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG), and the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron,
Italian-hosted mine warfare drill wraps up off Sicily
The Italian Navy-hosted mine countermeasure exercise MINEX 2019 concluded off the coast of Sicily on May 30 after 10 days of evolutions. In addition to Italian and Spanish MCM assets, the exercise was joined by NATO’s Standing Mine Counter Measures Group Two (SNMCMG2). The exercise was aimed at prac
US Navy destroyer conducts air defense drill with Portugal
The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) has completed a series of tactical air defense and fighter control exercises with Portuguese Navy and Air Force counterparts. The exercises were conducted off the coast of Portugal on May 27, 2019. The drill began with Ross
US, Thailand kick off exercise CARAT
The US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard joined Royal Thai Navy and Marine Corps to kick off the 25th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT). The opening ceremony was held at Sattahip Naval Base on May 29. CARAT is the US Navy’s oldest and longest continually-running regional exer
US 2nd Fleet achieves initial operational capability ahead of Baltops
The US Navy’s 2nd Fleet has declared the command has achieved initial operational capability (IOC), less than one year after being re-established by senior military leaders and just in time to lead one of the largest exercises in the Baltics. The IOC was declared on May 29, in an announcement by Vic
USS Nimitz officially wraps up 15-month overhaul
The lead ship of the US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers marked the end of its 15-month docking planned incremental availability as it concluded at-sea training on May 28. USS Nimitz (CVN 68) crew finished the maintenance availability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, and are now look
Royal Navy-led task group assembles in the Baltic
A nine-ship task group has gathered off the Danish coast to start operations as part of a UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force. The group will work together in the first act of the two-month-long Operation Baltic Protector, designed to demonstrate the resolve of the UK, its allies and nations in the reg
USS Theodore Roosevelt completes Alaska drill as navy readies for more Arctic ops
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and some ships from Carrier Strike Group Nine (CSG-9) wrapped up their participation Alaska’s largest biannual joint-military training exercise on may 24. US Navy assets were joined by US Air Force, US Army, and Marine Corps service members fo
France accelerates joint light helicopter program
France is speeding up its helicopter program that will see one platform replace five legacy helicopters across the three branches of the country’s armed forces. In an announcement on May 27, French defense minister Florence Parly announced that the launch of the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère I