‘Panglao’ – the Philippine Coast Guard’s second FPB 72 MKII fast patrol boat – has been loaded in Saint-Nazaire, France, and is ready for delivery. The first boat in the class – Boracay – was loaded for delivery to the Philippines early June. Built by French shipbuilder Ocea, Panglao is one of four
The French Navy commissioned its second Loire-class offshore support and assistance multipurpose vessel – BSAH Rhone – in a ceremony on July 6. Rhone entered service after being launched by the Kership joint venture in Concarneau, north-western France, in November 2017, and completing all trials off
The Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard marked the official construction-start of the Russian Navy’s sixth Project 12700 minesweeper with a keel-laying ceremony at its St. Petersburg shipyard on July 25. The monolithic-fiberglass vessel is named ‘Peter Ilyichev’ and is expected to be handed over to the navy by N
French shipbuilder Naval Group has delivered the fifth FREMM multi-mission frigate, FS Bretagne, to the French Navy. Bretagne was handed over to the French Government Defense procurement and technology agency (DGA) on July 18, nine months after it concluded its first trials. The anti-submarine warfa
The UK’s short take off vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B jets have started training on the first of three vertical landing pads at RAF Marham. The VLPs are built for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation by a joint venture between Galliford Try and Lagan Construction. The Norfolk site is the main op
Spanish Navy’s Galicia-class landing platform dock ESPS Castilla got underway from her homeport at Rota Naval Base on July 19 to join the counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the Horn of Africa. ESPS Castilla will operate two SH-60 helicopters from the 10th aircraft squadron during the deployment a
The UK defense ministry’s project of acquiring “low-cost” Type 31 frigates has been brought to a halt due to what the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) office described as a lack of “compliant bids”. The process is now being streamlined, according to a IHS Jane’s report, and will be restarted in
Belgian Navy command and support ship BNS Godetia assumed the role of NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) flagship on July 22, taking over from Dutch submarine support ship HNLMS Mercuur (A900). Despite having 780,000 nautical miles on the clock, Godetia brings a wealth of capabilit
Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Dixmude and La Fayette-class frigate FS Surcouf wrapped up the French Navy’s annual Jeanne D’Arc mission returning to naval base Toulon on July 19. The two ships got underway in late February and sailed a total of 26,500 nautical miles over a period of 145 days.
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St. John’s returned to her homeport in Halifax on July 23 after spending six months deployed to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). Joining SNMG1 on January 18, 2018, the frigate contributed to NATO operations as part of the Canadian operation Reassurance. Duri
Enterprise spent the year as flagship of SNMCMG2
A fire broke out late Sunday aboard the logistic support ship Vulcano which is under construction at Fincantieri’s Mugiano shipyard in La Spezia. According to Italian media reports, the fire broke out around 22:30, local time, and originated in the ship’s engine room. The Italian National Firefighte
After concluding two weeks of exercises with the Finnish and Swedish Navy in the Baltic Sea, Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose visited Stockholm for a few days’ break. The Devonport-based frigate joined Swedish and Finnish vessels for Baltic Cross, the first exercise involving the three navi
The Portuguese Navy’s newest Viana do Castelo-class offshore patrol vessel – the NRP Sines – was commissioned in a ceremony at the West Sea Shipyards on July 20. NRP Sines enters service after being launched in May 2017 and completing sea trials a year later, in late May 2018. Portuguese prime minis
