US Navy destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) completed a war-at-sea exercise (WASEX) with Albanian Naval Brigade patrol vessel ALS Iliria (P 131) in the Adriatic Sea on February 7. The two vessels completed the drill before the US destroyer pulled into the Albanian city of Vlore for a regularly-scheduled por
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, FMV, has awarded Saab a SEK 148 million (approx. 18.3M) contract to provide Multi Tactical Data Links to the Swedish Navy. The Navy platforms will be upgraded with data links such as L16 and L22. This enables closer co-operation and communication with oth
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean on Friday returned to Devonport Naval Base for the final time as a commissioned Royal Navy ship. The flagship entered Plymouth welcomed by well-wishers and flanked by landing craft and tugs firing water hoses high into the air. The amphibious helicopter and co
NATO ships from two maritime groups currently operating in the Black Sea entered two Bulgarian port cities for weekend port calls. On February 10, three warships from Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, as part of their routine Black Sea patrol. Led by Royal Navy Com
Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Navarra will be leading a three-ship NATO group during the Mediterranean Sea operation Sea Guardian, the Spanish defense ministry announced. In addition to the Spanish Santa Maria-class frigate, the group will include Belgian frigate BNS Louise Marie and an Italian Navy shi
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth pulled into Gibraltar on Friday morning for her first ever overseas port visit. The visit will be a logistical one for the 65,000-tonne future flagship which left her home in Portsmouth last week for helicopter trials. These helicopter trials take plac
A Turkish Navy minehunter deployed to NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) discovered a historic mine during routine training in the Black Sea on February 7. According to NATO Maritime Command, minehunter TCG Akcay discovered the mine using her mine hunting sonar to scan the sea
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose recently visited the NATO weapon and sensor range at Stavanger, in southern Norway, for a week of weapons and sensors checks. The ship arrived for a weekend alongside in Stavanger and after a day of harbour checks, went to sea on the test range for 3 days, w
HMS Albion, the Royal Navy’s recently refurbished amphibious assault ship, deployed on Tuesday to become flagsip of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). The ship sailed from Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth and will operate in the Mediterranean for five months. Captain Tim Neild, HMS Albion com
Finland is looking to acquire a total of $730 million worth of US-built missiles for its future multi-role corvettes and for the upgrade of its Hamina-class missile boats. The US State Department approved the possible sale on Monday, which, if realized, would be the first time Finland has bought eit
Italy’s Fincantieri announced it has signed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of 50% of the share capital of STX France from the French state. The agreement provides for a purchase price of euro 59.7 million (approx. USD$74M). The signing takes place after the resolution of the share pu
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri launched the Italian Navy’s eighth FREMM frigate ‘Antonio Marceglia’ (F-597) at its Riva Trigoso shipyard in Genoa on February 3. The eighth of a series of 10 FREMM vessels was launched during a ceremony attended by Italian defense minister Roberta Pinotti and, on beh
US Navy ships centered around the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group (HST CSG) got underway on February 1 to start the composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX), their final pre-deployment exercise. COMPTUEX is an intensive, month-long drilldesigned to fully integrate units of HST CSG, while tes
After spending four years in mothballs and another two undergoing a £90m refit, the Royal Navy’s amphibious assault ship HMS Albion is deploying early next week to become the flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2. “It is a huge privilege for us to fly the flag of the NATO task group commander
