Training & Education
New Italian aircraft carrier launched 15 months after construction start
The Italian Navy’s new landing helicopter dock (LHD) Trieste was launched in a ceremony at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia shipyard on May 25. The multirole and multipurpose amphibious vessel was launched in the presence of Italian president Sergio Mattarella and the Italian Navy chief Adm. Va
Australia, Japan, Korea, US launch inaugural naval drill Pacific Vanguard
Ships from the navies of Australia, Japan, Republic of Korea and the United States arrived in Guam, May 22, to take part in the first ever cooperative maritime training exercise called Pacific Vanguard. Pacific Vanguard brings together more than 3,000 sailors from four Indo-Pacific nations to sharpe
US Navy fields new Mark VI patrol boats
Article by: Peter Ong The US Navy’s Coastal Riverine Forces (CRF) – comprised of two Coastal Riverine Groups based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Imperial Beach, California – received delivery of its first new Mark VI patrol boat in 2014. Built by SafeBoats International in Bremerton, Washington,
Baltic Sea mine warfare drill Open Spirit concludes in Lithuania
The Lithuanian-led historical ordnance disposal operation Open Spirit 2019 concluded on May 16 after two weeks of maneuvers. Open Spirit is an international maritime operation led on a rotating basis by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The Lithuanian Navy led the operation in 2019 in coordination with
Canada, France achieve supersonic firsts during missile defense drill off Scotland
The 9-nation live-fire integrated air and missile defense exercise Formidable Shield 2019 concluded at the UK defense ministry’s Hebrides Range off Scotland on May 19. The US-led drill helped allies hone interoperability in defending against missiles but it also saw Canadian and French Navy ships ac
HMS Albion deploys for Baltic Sea task group deployment
Royal Navy amphibious transport dock HMS Albion has deployed to the Baltic Sea where it will lead a multinational task group as part of a UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). All three service branches of the UK armed forces will take part in the first JEF maritime deployment, which started as HM
John C. Stennis strike group destroyers return to San Diego
US Navy guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (DDG 111) and USS Stockdale (DDG 106) returned to their San Diego homeport after operations with the John C. Stennis carrier strike group in the Asia Pacific and Middle East. The destroyers, including detachments from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron
US approves sale of torpedoes, SM-2 missiles to Canada, Republic of Korea
The US State Department has approved sales of MK 54 lightweight torpedoes to the Royal Canadian Navy and SM-2 Block IIIB Standard missiles to the Republic of Korea Navy. The potential sale of lightweight torpedoes to Canada would be worth an estimated $387 million. A total 425 MK 54 lightweight torp
USS Abraham Lincoln links up with USS Kearsarge in Arabian Sea
Two US Navy groups operate in US 5th Fleet AOP in show of force amid Iran tensions.
French carrier trains with Australian, Japanese, US ships in Bay of Bengal
French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R 91) met up with ships from the navies of the US, Australia and Japan for a series of maneuvers in the Bay of Bengal. The exercise involving US destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba (FFH 156) and submar
USS Theodore Roosevelt joins Northern Edge 2019 off Alaska
The US Pacific Air Forces hosted exercise Northern Edge 2019 (NE19) kicked off on and above central Alaska ranges and the Gulf of Alaska on May 13. Personnel from US military units stationed in the continental United States and from US installations in the Indo-Pacific will participate with approxim
18-nation ASEAN maritime drill wraps up in Singapore
A 19-ship exercise organized by the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus concluded in Singapore on May 13. Co-organised by Singapore and the Republic of Korea under their co-chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security, the “Maritime Security Field Training Exerc
Spain hosts 16 nations for mine warfare drill in Western Med
The Spanish Navy-hosted mine countermeasures exercise ESP Minex 19 concluded in the Western Mediterranean Sea on May 10, after two weeks of evolutions. ESP Minex 19 is an advanced annual exercise for mine countermeasures units and surface, submarine, and air mining and force protection assets. Parti
Raytheon tests rocket motor for US Navy’s MAD-FIRES interceptor
Defense contractor Raytheon announced it has successfully tested a hot fire rocket motor for DARPA’s Multi-Azimuth Defense Fast Intercept Round Engagement System, or MAD-FIRES. The MAD-FIRES interceptor is designed to provide a robust and affordable self-defense capability that defeats multiple wave