Training & Education
NATO drill Open Spirit kicks off in Estonia
Mine countermeasure ships and personnel from 15 navies gathered in Tallinn, Estonia, for the start of the international Baltic Sea ordnance disposal drill Open Spirit. The exercise kicks off Friday and is joined by ships from NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) among others. Open
HMAS Adelaide gears up for Indo-Pacific deployment, RIMPAC
Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Adelaide is making final preparations for a three-month deployment which will include participation in RIMPAC, the world’s largest international maritime exercise taking place off Hawaii. Adelaide’s journey across the South Pacific to Hawaii and bac
Multi-lateral anti-submarine warfare drill starts in Norway
A multi-lateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise in the Norwegian Sea got underway May 9 as navy assets from five ally countries gathered in Bodo, Norway, for the pre-sail conference. The exercise is hosted by Norway and led by the US Navy. ASW forces from Canada, France, Norway, the United Kin
Seawolf-class submarine USS Connecticut returns from Arctic Circle
The US Navy’s Seawolf-class fast attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) returned home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton on May 7 following a tour in the Arctic Circle. Connecticut was one of three submarines taking part in the biennial exercise ICEX that allows the US Navy to assess its operational
Turkish minehunter finds unexploded ordnance during Spanish MINEX
Turkish Navy minehunter TCG Anamur has discovered historical unexploded ordnance during mine countermeasures drills conducted as part of the Spanish-hosted multinational exercise MINEX 2018. According NATO Maritime Command, the ordnance was discovered by TCG Anamur on 8 May using the ship’s speciali
UK, Norway advance sub hunting cooperation plans
The UK and Norway have advanced their plans for international Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) cooperation in the North Atlantic. The nations’ defence ministers flew in an American P-8A Poseidon from RAF Lossiemouth on May 3. Defence Minister Guto Bebb hosted Secretary Tone Skogen, State Secretary in
US Navy cruiser, destroyer return from carrier strike group deployments
Sailors aboard US Navy cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) and destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) returned to their homeports on May 9 after concluding deployments with their relevant carrier strike groups. Returning to Naval Base San Diego with its 350 crew, Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS
Thales begins Sea Fire radar production for French FTI frigate
French defense technology company Thales announced it has started production works on the first Sea Fire radar for the French Navy’s FTI future medium-size frigates. The Sea Fire is fully solid-state multifunction radar with a four-panel phased array antenna. According to the company, it is designed
USS Bonhomme Richard arrives at new-old homeport
US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) arrived at its new homeport in San Diego on May 8, concluding a homeport change from Sasebo, Japan. Bonhomme Richard departed San Diego in April 2012 for Sasebo, Japan, to replace USS Essex (LHD 2) as the Navy’s only forward-deployed amp
Spain-based destroyer USS Ross concludes forward-deployed patrol
US Navy’s Spain-based Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) completed its sixth patrol in the US 6th Fleet area of operations, returning to its forward-deployed location at Naval Station Rota on May 7. Ross departed Rota Jan. 8, 2018, and in the course of its four-month patr
France to build fifth nuclear Barracuda-class submarine
French defense minister Florence Parly announced on May 4 that another Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine was ordered for the French Navy. According to a defense ministry statement, the decision to order the fifth boat in the class was made during a defense ministry meeting on May 2. The new g
German Navy frigate FGS Sachsen concludes operation Sophia deployment
The first German Navy vessel to deploy in 2018 is returning home after concluding a five-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea as part of the EU-led operation Sophia. FGS Sachsen, the lead ship of the German Navy’s F124 air defense frigates, is set to return to her homeport in Wilhelmshaven on M
International mine countermeasure drill kicks off in Australia
An international mine countermeasure exercise got underway on Australia’s New South Wales south coast at Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base HMAS Creswell on May 7. The biennial Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) Mine Countermeasures and Diving Exercise (MCM DIVEX) is set to conclude after two week
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender tests new turbines after 18-month refit
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender returned to her homeport in Portsmouth concluding her first underway period after undergoing an 18-month refit. The ship put her systems and personnel to the test over the seven-day period following the major upkeep which saw two new gas turbines fitted alon