Training & Education
Australian frigate underway for Asia Pacific deployment, exercise RIMPAC
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Melbourne departed her home port of Fleet Base East bound to start a seven month deployment to the South West Pacific and North East Asia. Melbourne’s deployment will include participation in the second iteration of Indo-Pacific Endeavour, exercise Kakadu in Austra
Norway to host 70 vessels, 40,000 personnel for Trident Juncture 2018
The upcoming flagship NATO exercise Trident Juncture 2018 is expected to be one of the largest ever with 40,000 personnel, around 120 aircraft and as many as 70 ships converging this fall in Norway. Compared to the 2015 edition of the exercise which was said to be “the largest NATO exercise in a dec
US warships sail near Chinese-claimed Paracel Islands in South China Sea
A US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and a Ticonderoga-class cruiser sailed near South China Sea islands claimed by China in a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) on May 27. USS Higgins (DDG-76) and USS Antietam (CG-54) sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands, which are control
Baltic Sea mine warfare drill Open Spirit draws to a close
The Estonian-hosted mine warfare drill Open Spirit concluded in the Baltic Sea on May 25. The two-week multinational naval mine clearance and ordnance disposal operation took place in two main areas – around Tallin, and around the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumma. In addition to ships from Baltic sta
Seal Team Six vet receives Medal of Honor for Afghanistan operation
US president Donald Trump awarded retired Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Britt Slabinski with the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony held May 24. Slabinski was awarded for his actions while leading a team under heavy effective enemy fire in an attempt to rescue teammate Petty Officer First
US disinvites China from exercise RIMPAC 2018
The US defense department has decided to withdraw its invitation for China to take part in the upcoming large-scale exercise Rim of the Pacific in Hawaii. This was announced by Pentagon spokesman Marine Lt. Col. Christopher Logan who said the decision was part of the US response to China’s actions i
Lockheed tests production version of LRASM
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin on May 23 announced a successful test firing of two production representative Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) from a US Air Force B-1B bomber. In the event over the Sea Range at Point Mugu, California, a US Air Force B-1B from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, rel
NATO’s SNMG2 concludes Black Sea tour
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) met with Turkish Navy units in the Aegean Sea as they wrapped up 20 days of operations in the Black Sea. Led by the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, SNMG2 ships rendezvoused with Turkish fast patrol boats TCG Mızrak and TCG Volkan after
Italian FFG(X) contender arrives in Norfolk
The Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate ITS Alpino (F594) has arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, for the first stop of her North American tour. The tour will help Fincantieri, and the Italian industry, showcase the FREMM frigate design Fincantieri is offering for the US Navy’s next frigate, dubbed FFG(X). Alpin
Indian warships visit Vietnam en route to Guam and exercise Malabar
Three Indian Navy ships from the Eastern Naval Command arrived in Danang, Vietnam, on May 21 for a four day visit. The task group composed of a frigate, corvette and a tanker are en route to Guam where they are to take part in the Indo-US naval exercise Malabar alongside ships from the US Navy and [
Chesapeake 2018 comes to an end
The navies of US and France have concluded a “historic combined exercise” as the last French Navy Rafale jets took of from the flight deck of US Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). The exercise, named Chesapeake 2018, began in April this year at Naval Air Station Oceana and continue
Final Pacific Partnership mission stops begin in Vietnam, Thailand
Naval personnel aboard US Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy and fast transport ship USNS Brunswick have arrived in Vietnam and Thailand for the final mission stops of this year’s edition of the international humanitarian and disaster response exercise Pacific Partnership. Engagements kicked off in Khanh
Bersama Shield 2018 concludes off Singapore, Malaysia
The bi-annual Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA)-nation exercise Bersama Shield took place in the sea and skies of Malaysia and Singapore and concluded May 15. Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom participated in the exercise, focusing on the conduct of a combined j
Watch the USS Milwaukee launch Longbow Hellfire missiles as part of SSMM testing
The US Navy has shared a video of its Freedom variant littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) launching Longbow Hellfire missiles as part of the Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) developmental testing (DT) The live-fire missile exercise took place off the coast of Virginia on May 11 and sa