The US Navy’s carrier-based, fifth generation fighter has achieved initial operational capability, the Commander, Naval Air Forces and the US Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation jointly announced. The aircraft carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, met all requi
The Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has contracted Thales to develop a new anti-air warfare system, dubbed the Above Water Warfare System (AWWS), which will be used on the new generation of frigates to be built for the Netherlands and Belgium. The current multi-purpose (M) frigates i
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri officially started construction of the first of two Qatari Navy offshore patrol vessels in a ceremony at its Muggiano shipyard on February 27. The two OPVs will be built as part of a larger, 4 billion euro, contract which will see Finantieri deliver a total of seven s
The Royal Australian Navy’s last Bell 429 helicopter made its final public appearance at the Australian International Airshow 2019 at Avalon, Victoria. Originally commissioned into service in 2012, Navy’s 723 Squadron operated the Bell 429s to maintain and develop the skills of junior helicopter air
The US Navy’s future littoral combat ship USS Billings (LCS 15) will enter service in a ceremony at Key West, Florida, Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer has confirmed. The event will take place in August 2019 with the specific date yet to be announced. The future USS Billings is the 17th littora
Mistral-class helicopter carrier BPC Tonnerre and frigate FS La Fayette kicked off the French Navy’s annual Jeanne d’Arc mission which sees a task group spend five months on operations around the world. During this year’s edition, Tonnerre and La Fayette will first sail to the Eastern Mediterranean,
The US Navy has completed developmental testing for the AN/AQS-20C mine-hunting sonar system for littoral combat ships at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, February 26. The AQS-20C is the next generation of the AN/AQS-20 system designed to be incorporated into the LCS mine coun
Austal USA has held a metal cutting ceremony on the US Navy’s Independence-class littoral combat ship Canberra (LCS 30). Austal LCS Program Director Dave Growden had the honor of starting the router to cut the first piece of aluminium, signaling the start of construction. The LCS is a 127m frigate-s
The wreckage of US Navy’s World War II destroyer USS Strong (DD 467) was discovered by the expedition crew of Paul G. Allen’s research vessel (R/V) Petrel resting 300 meters (nearly 1,000 feet) below the surface of Kula Gulf, north of the island of New Georgia, in the Solomon Islands. The destroyer
US Navy’s Independence variant littoral combat ship Charleston (LCS 18) is set to enter service in a ceremony at Charleston, South Carolina’s Columbus Street Terminal, on March 2. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott will deliver the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Charlotte Riley, wife of f
The Royal Norwegian Navy’s sunken frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad is ready to get out of the water after spending over four months on the sea bottom in the Hjeltefjorden fjord. As informed by Norway’s defense ministry, weather conditions and forecasts have finally allowed for the operation to start. HNo
The UK defense ministry has awarded Rolls-Royce Submarines Limited a £235 million (US$309 m) contract to support nuclear propulsion systems on board the current fleet of Trafalgar, Vanguard and Astute class submarines until 2022. The deal will see the company provide the support, advice and material
US Navy submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) pulled into Royal Australian Navy base HMAS Stirling on Garden Island after completing training activities with four Australian Collins-class submarines. Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine Santa Fe took part in a joint training exercise with HMAS Collins
USS Pittsburgh operated in European water during its final deployment
