The Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad was refloated on April 10, less than six weeks after she was transported to the Haakonsvern navy base from the seafloor in Hjeltefjorden. Prior to her raising and transport, the frigate spent several months almost completely submerged after collid
Ships from the navies of the US, the UK and France have kicked off the mine countermeasures exercise Artemis Trident in the Persian Gulf. “Mine laying poses a risk to naval ships as well as merchant shipping vessels,” the US 5th Fleet said in an announcement. “As mines threaten maritime traffic indi
General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $727.4 million contract modification to continue the procurement of long-lead-time material for Virginia-class submarines. The award provides new funding to an existing contract for long-lead-time material to support c
The Romanian-hosted exercise Sea Shield 2019 concluded in the Black Sea on April 13. In addition to Romanian Navy units, the annual drill was joined by five NATO ships which are part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2). In total, over 20 ships and crews from Romania, Bulgaria, Canada, Gr
US shipbuilder Huntington Ingals Industries authenticated the keel of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) on Friday, April 12. Ship’s Co-sponsors Shana McCool and Kate Oja declared the keel to be “truly and fairly laid.” LPD 29 is the first US Navy ship nam
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon returned to Portsmouth on April 12, completing seven months of drug-busting action in the Middle East. During her time at sea, Dragon carried out eight successful raids on drugs smugglers, capturing narcotics worth an estimated £145 million. HMS Dragon deploye
Perth-based Total Marine Technology has secured its first Royal Australian Navy contract as it landed a deal to design and deliver a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) for the service’s new submarine rescue system (SRS). TMT was selected by Phoenix International, who is in charge of delivering the new
Philippine and US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force service members on April 11 carried out an amphibious drill as part of the bilateral annual exercise Balikatan 2019. The amphibious assault took place at Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), Zambales, and involved the movement of assault amp
The future HMNZS Aotearoa, the biggest ever vessel to be built for the Royal New Zealand Navy, is taking shape and is ready for launch in South Korea. Aetorea is being constructed at Hyundai Heavy Shipbuilding’s Ulsan shipyard and is scheduled to be launched within the next two weeks, according to t
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose arrived in Bahrain on April 3 to start a three-year mission in the Persian Gulf state. Montrose sailed into the UK’s new support facility in Bahrain after a six-month journey, which saw her cover 47,000-miles from her home in Plymouth. From Bahrain, she will conduct r
The BAE Systems’ Barrow-in-Furness shipyard was evacuated on April 10 after a bomb was reported to have been found on one of the Royal Navy nuclear submarines under construction at the yard. An estimated 1,700 staff are believed to have been evacuated in the process. “Following an extensive sweep of
The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has awarded Northrop Grumman Systems a multi-year contract for the purchase of 24 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. The $3.1 billion contract is in support of full rate production for fiscal years 2019-2023. This is the second MYP contract awarded to the compa
US Navy Secretary (SECNAV) Richard V. Spencer is to issue a secretarial letter of censure to former USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) commanding officer Cmdr. Bryce Benson and former crew member Lt. Natalie Combs, for their role in the deadly collision off Japan in June 2018. The destroyer collided with Filip
German Navy F124 frigate FGS Hessen is scheduled to depart its Wilhelmshaven homeport on April 11 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2). The air-defense frigate will replace another German vessel currently deployed to the mission in the Aegean Sea. Combat support ship Bonn deployed to
