Vessels
US Navy names sixth Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer
US Navy’s sixth Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer will be named in honor of Korean War veteran, and Navy Cross Recipient, Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class George M. Neal, the US Navy secretary has announced. Neal, a native of Springfield, Ohio, served with Helicopter Utility Squadron ONE (
Austal gets $261m for work on US Navy EPF ships 13 and 14
The US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Australia-based shipbuilder Austal a $261.7 million contract for additional work on Expeditionary Fast Transport Ships (EPF) 13 and 14. The contract award extends the EPF program to 2022, with construction of EPF 13 to commence in late 2019 and EPF 14 to
Thales establishing UK office to develop Tacticos for Type 31 frigates
France-based defense contractor Thales is opening a UK office for work on the Royal Navy’s future Type 31 frigate program. The company said it would be joining the Babcock-led team which is proposing the Arrowhead design for the new class of general-purpose frigates for the Royal Navy. Should the Ar
HII lays keel for US Navy’s 23rd Virginia-class submarine
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding held a keel authentication ceremony for the US Navy’s Virginia-class attack submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) on March 25. New Jersey is the 23rd Virginia-class fast attack submarine. Construction began in March 2016 and is about 42 percent compl
Australia fast-tracks Romeo helicopter upgrade for third air warfare destroyer
The Royal Australian Navy’s third Hobart-class air warfare destroyer Sydney is set to enter operations a year earlier than originally planned following an accelerated capability upgrade. As explained, the defense ministry was able to streamline a technical upgrade to the ship during its build at the
Damen to develop prototype expeditionary survey boat for Dutch Navy
The Netherlands’ Defense Material Organization (DMO) procurement agency has awarded Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Den Helder (DSDH) a contract to design, build and deliver a prototype expeditionary survey boat (ESB) for the Royal Netherlands Navy. The ESB is to be optimized for rapid environment
US Navy, Marine Corps wrap up integration exercise Pacific Blitz 2019
US Navy and Marine Corps units are wrapping up two weeks of joint drills as part of exercise Pacific Blitz 2019 in and off the coast of Southern California. The scenario-driven field-training exercise kicked off March 12 and is set to conclude on Tuesday, March 26. The exercise involved command and
US Coast Guard commissions 31st, receives 33rd fast response cutter
The US Coast Guard commissioned its 31st fast response cutter in a March 22 ceremony in San Pedro, California. Cutter Terrell Horne (WPC-1131) is the third FRC to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Los Angeles-Long Beach and will operate throughout the 11th Coast Guard District, which includes all of
Royal Navy frigate joining NATO’s SNMG1
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster got underway from Portsmouth to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) for a deployment to northern Europe and the Baltic. The Duke-class frigate is scheduled to conduct exercises within her task group as well as a variety of port visits that wil
Final decision on German Navy’s 10,000-ton MKS180 facing delays again
The decision on the preferred contractor for the construction of the German Navy’s new MKS 180 surface combatants could be delayed once more, minister president of the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein has indicated. Speaking to the German Press Agency DPA in Paris, Daniel Günther said a d
Safran lands Australian Navy infrared search and track systems upkeep deal
The Australian government has awarded Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia (SEDA) a contract for in-service support to the Royal Australian Navy’s infrared search and track systems. Australian defense minister Christopher Pyne said as the prime contractor, SEDA would provide maintenance and supp
Japan-based US Navy ships complete their “most demanding tactical drills ever”
US Navy ships from the Japan-based US 7th Fleet took part in what the navy termed the most advanced tactical training necessary for blue water combat. For the first time ever, three guided missile destroyers, a guided missile cruiser, and two amphibious ships of the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces com
Fourth Royal Navy OPV named in Glasgow ceremony
The Royal Navy held an official naming ceremony for HMS Tamar, the fourth of overall five new Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessels being built. The OPV naming ceremony took place in the shipyard in Glasgow where she and her sisters were built. The 90-meter ship is equipped with a 30mm cannon
NATO maritime groups visit Plymouth
Ship from Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG) 1 and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group One (SNMCMG) 1 completed a scheduled port visit to Plymouth, England, before taking part in an eight-ship maneuver off the UK coast. SNMG-1 and SNMCMG-1 staff took advantage of time in port by having forc