Training & Education
Upgrades start on Seasparrow surface-to-air ship defense system
The US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) has started work on the refurbishment and modification of the NATO Seasparrow missile system (NSSMS) platform and MK 132 guided missile launching system. The surface-to-air ship defense system is being upgraded to support deployme
US-Japanese exercise Keen Sword gets underway in Japan
The US and Japan started their biennial exercise Keen Sword at military installations throughout Japan and surrounding waters on October 29. This year’s edition of the exercise will be joined by two Royal Canadian Navy ships for the first time ever. The biennial exercise is the latest in a series of
EUNAVFOR destroys pirate vessel after attack on Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier
Spanish sailors assigned to EUNAVFOR’s operation Atalanta captured and destroyed a pirate whaler in an operation off the Somali coast on October 28. The pirate vessel was detected following an attack on Hong Kong-flagged Bulk Carrier KSL Sydney. The attack against the KSL Sydney took place on Octobe
ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise concludes in Zhanjiang, China
The Chinese People’s Liberation Navy and navies of ASEAN member states have completed the at-sea phase of the inaugural ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise. The exercise spanned five days from October 22 to 27 and concluded with a field training exercise in Zhanjiang, China. Co-organised by the Republic o
Second large-scale naval drill in Baltic Sea kicks off
Over 40 vessels from NATO and ally countries gathered in Turku, Finland, to kick off a second major exercise in the Baltic Sea on October 25. The exercise is called Northern Coasts and is organized by Germany and hosted by a different Baltic Sea nation each year. It will run concurrent with Trident
US, Peruvian Navy conclude Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative
The Peruvian and US Navy have concluded almost three months of diesel-electric submarine operations which saw a Peruvian Navy submarine train and operate with a range of US Navy assets. Exactly 89 days of joint operations with the Peruvian submarine BAP Arica (SS-36) officially concluded in a closin
Heavy seas damage US Navy ship ahead of NATO drill Trident Juncture
Two US Navy ships were forced to return to Reykjavik, Iceland, after amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) was damaged in heavy seas while en route to Norway and exercise Trident Juncture. The ship was damaged on October 22 and is currently in Iceland for further assessment. The nav
Euronaval 2018: MBDA unveils naval version of MMP
Missile systems developer MBDA has unveiled a navalized version of the MMP 5th generation ground combat missile at Euronaval. MDBA said the decision to introduce the system follows the operational evaluation campaign carried out at the end of the summer by the French armed forces in Djibouti to conf
Australia’s HMAS Launceston wraps up drill with Royal Brunei Navy
The navies of Australia and Brunei have completed the 18th series of bilateral exercise Penguin which took place off Brunei. The four-day exercise concluded October 22. Exercise Penguin was joined by Royal Brunei Navy’s Darussalam-class OPV KD Darulaman and Itjihad-class inshore patrol vessel KD Ber
ROK Navy tests SM-2 missile variants in exercises
The Republic of Korea Navy conducted five SM-2 surface-to-air missile test flights in back-to-back exercises this summer, missile manufacturer Raytheon announced. ROKN fired two Block IIIA missiles in an initial exercise to test the missiles’ advanced semi-active radar seeker technology. During a se
Raytheon delivers RAM launcher for Mexican Navy POLA OPV
US weapon manufacturer Raytheon announced it has delivered a Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher for the Mexican Navy’s long-range off-shore patrol vessel (Patrulla Oceánica de Largo Alcance, or POLA). The RAM Block 2 supersonic, quick reaction, fire-and-forget missile to counter enemy anti-ship
Turkish Navy conducts another submarine SINKEX
A Turkish Navy Ay-class submarine sank a decommissioned navy vessel in the country’s second known sinking exercise (SINKEX) of 2018. The exercise took place last week in the Black Sea and follows a SINKEX which took place in June when Type 209/1200 submarine TCG Yildiray launched a wire-guided torpe
US Navy commissions first UAS test and evaluation squadron
The US Navy commissioned its first unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test and evaluation squadron during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s Webster Outlying Field, on October 18. The new unit, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (UX) 24, flies over 23 fixed and rotary wing UAS including the
Bahrain-based Royal Navy minehunters visit Qatar
HMS Brocklesby and Shoreham, two of the UK’s Persian Gulf-based minehunters, sailed from Bahrain to Doha to give the Qatari Navy an insight into the Royal Navy’s work in the region. Joint training with the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces was conducted both in their base and then out in the gulf. The Qatar