US, French and UK forces launched strikes on Syrian chemical facilities in the morning hours of April 14 in response to chemical attacks used by the Syrian government early April. US guided missile destroyer USS Higgins and USS Laboon, guided missile cruiser USS Monterey and Virginia-class submarine
HMS Forth, the first of Royal Navy’s five new Batch-2 River-class offshore patrol vessels, entered service in a ceremony held at her Her Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth, on April 13. At the ceremony, the ship’s Lady Sponsor, Rachel Johnstone-Burt, was joined by UK government and defense officials, a
Spain and Saudi Arabia have finalized a framework agreement which will see Spanish shipbuilder Navantia deliver five Avante 2200 corvettes for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). The deal, signed during Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s official visit to Spain, is worth around €2 bil
UK’s F-35B Lightning jets which will be operated by the Royal Navy and Air Force recently achieved another first in their preparation for operations in UK skies. The Royal Navy has now shared photos of what it says is a first “full-British” aerial refueling of F-35B jets. To travel 4,134-miles acros
On April 18, 2018, the German Navy’s tender Mosel will depart its homeport Kiel, heading to the Mediterranean Sea, the navy said. Under the command of Frigate Captain Jens Röder, the tender will participate in the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia. Crewed by 106 members, Mosel will replace the air defen
UK defense contractor BAE Systems has announced a £10 million (approx. $14.2m) investment into upgrades of the Maritime Integration & Support Centre (MISC) aimed at improving research into artificial intelligence, information and electronic warfare, unmanned vehicles and new weapons. Located in Port
The Finnish Navy has deployed three vessels to Sweden where they are taking part in a naval exercise in the archipelago of Stockholm. The two navies will increase their interoperability through 8 days of exercises which are set to conclude on April 19. The exercise will focus on anti-submarine warfa
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its associated carrier strike group are getting underway from Norfolk on Wednesday to start a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Middle East. Ships accompanying the aircraft carrier include guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), guided-miss
Russian Navy’s new Project 23120 logistic support vessel ‘Elbrus’ has completed acceptance trials and was delivered to the navy’s auxiliary fleet. Elbrus was subsequently commissioned into the Northern Fleet in a ceremony held on April 4, according to the shipbuilder. Elbrus will be followed by a se
Turkish Navy frigate TCG Gediz is joining the NATO Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) for over two months of operations with international partners. The former US Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate got underway from her Aegean Sea homeport of Aksaz Naval Base on April 6 and is currently on a port
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) arrived in Cherbourg, France, on April 7 for a scheduled port visit. The visit is aimed at enhancing US-France relations as the two nations work together to strengthen regional security and stability. During Porter’s time in Cherbo
The Irish Navy’s fourth Samuel Beckett-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), future LÉ George Bernard Shaw, was floated out at Babcock’s Appledore, North Devon, shipyard, the shipbuilder has announced. The float out of the 90-meter ship was attended by representatives from the Irish Naval Service and
The Turkish Navy commissioned its second Landing Ship Tank (LST) ‘Sancaktar’ in a ceremony on April 7, the Turkish undersecretary for defense industries announced. The commissioning of TCG Sancaktar comes almost exactly a year after the lead ship in the class, the TCG Bayraktar, was commissioned on
An Italian Navy Agusta-Bell AB 212ASW helicopter with five on board crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on April 5, the Italian Navy has informed. All five Italian Navy personnel from the helicopter were recovered immediately recovered but one crew member died during resuscitation attempts, the navy
