Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Cristóbal Colón got underway from her homeport in Ferrol on August 25 to join NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegis-equipped frigate will first contribute to the maritime situational awareness picture and counter-terrorism operations in the
US Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) exited the Black Sea, August 27, after 15 days of maritime security operations and theater security engagements. USS Carney was in the Black Sea at the same time as USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7), which became the first Spearhead-class expeditiona
Denmark’s defense ministry announced on Friday it’s intention to deploy one of its frigates to France where it would join the French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle for exercises in early 2019. Early 2019 is when the Marine Nationale’s sole aircraft carrier is expected to make a return to
German Navy frigate FGS Bayern is set to return to her Wilhelmshaven homeport on Saturday after four months of operations in the Aegean Sea. In total, the ship spent over five months underway as part of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), sailing 27,500 nautical miles. Bayern is returning to W
A team of four F-35B test pilots are making final preparations for taking their aircraft aboard Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth next month. Two specially-modified F-35Bs and four pilots – Mr Wilson from BAE, the RN’s Cdr Nathan Gray, Sqn Ldr Andy Edgell and a US Marine Corps aviator
NATO’s Standing Maritime Group One (SNMG1) met up with a Japan Maritime Self Defense Force training squadron in the Baltic Sea on August 21 for a passing exercise. The JMSDF task group is composed of cadet training vessel JS Kashima and the destroyer JS Makinami. Japan is one of a number of countrie
Russia’s third Project 11356 frigate, the Admiral Makarov, transited the English Channel on August 20 as she sails for her new homeport in the Black Sea. The 4,000-ton Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate was escorted through the Channel by Portsmouth-based minehunter HMS Hurworth and a Wildcat HMA2 he
The UK defense ministry has awarded Babcock International a five-year maritime training systems through-life availability & support service (MARTASS) contract. As announced by the company, a series of support packages, defined by the maritime combat system (MCS) and maritime training acquisition org
Italian defense and aerospace contractor Leonardo announced that its $3.7 billion contract to deliver 28 NH90 medium twin-engine multirole military helicopters to Qatar has been finalized. While initially signed on March 14, 2018, the contract for 16 NH90s in tactical transport (TTH) configuration a
US Navy explosive ordnance disposal specialists joined forces with maritime forces from the Republic of Croatia for an experimental mine countermeasures (MCM) operation in Croatian waters on August 17. In a combined partnership between US Sixth Fleet, the US Office of Naval Research, and Croatian Na
UK shipbuilder Cammell Laird announced it has built a network of more than 2,000 suppliers that will be involved in the construction of the Royal Navy’s future Type 31 frigate should the Cammell Laird-BAE Systems duo be selected. The shipyard and engineering services company says it is registering m
The crew of Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring will be awarded a new medal clasp for bravery shown during Bab al-Mandeb strait escort missions in 2016. Announcing the recognition, the Royal Navy said HMS Daring sailors braved the threat of missile attack to protect merchant ships in the Middle
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to get underway from HMNB Portsmouth on Saturday for her first-of-class F-35B flight trials. The deployment is dubbed Westlant 18 and will see the carrier spend four months off the Eastern Seaboard of the United States with the aim of deve
The Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet corvette Vyshny Volochyok transited the Bosphorus on August 16 to start her first Mediterranean Sea deployment. The Buyan-M class vessel is starting the deployment after entering service in May this year and becoming the first corvette in its class to join the Blac
