Vessels
ECA teams up with MAURIC to offer drone-specialized MCM motherships
French autonomous systems specialist ECA Group joined forces with maritime solution provider MAURIC to design a patrol vessel-sized ship specialized for carrying and deploying mine countermeasure autonomous vessel of all sizes. The design is named Octopoda and comes in two ranges, a 30-meter Octopod
Singapore, Australia conclude SINGAROO
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Stuart and tanker HMAS Sirius wrapped up the two-day maritime exercise SINGAROO with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) corvettes RSS Valiant and Vigour. The exercise took place in waters off Singapore. The biennial exercise aimed to develop a better understandin
US Navy names new littoral combat ship after city of Cleveland
The US Navy has named a new littoral combat ship in honor of Cleveland, Ohio, and the citizens of Cleveland for their service and longstanding support of the US Navy and Marine Corps team. The name was announced by Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer in a ceremony aboard the USS Cod submarine m
Royal Navy to base all Type 26 frigates in Devonport
The eight Type 26 frigates being built for the Royal Navy will be homeported in Devonport, UK defense secretary Gavin Williamson has announced. The 6,900-tonne frigates will be anti-submarine warships and will provide protection for the UK nuclear deterrent and the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft car
Type 23 frigate HMS Kent rejoins fleet after 18-month refit
Royal Navy frigate HMS Kent formally rejoined the fleet in a ceremony on October 5, after undergoing an 18-month keel-to-mast revamp. The Type 23 frigate’s most significant upgrades included a new command system and the Sea Ceptor missile system. Replacing the veteran Seawolf across the fleet, Sea C
USS Harry S. Truman visits Portsmouth
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman arrived into Portsmouth on October 6 for a port visit while on a Mediterranean Sea deployment. The carrier most recently visited France and Greece and will continue with her program early this week. Arriving early Saturday morning into a foggy Solent, she
UK awards £1b in fleet auxiliary ship upkeep contracts
The UK defense ministry announced it has awarded over £1 billion worth of contracts for the maintenance of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships and the Royal Navy’s survey and hydrographic fleet over the next ten years. The deal covers 17 ships and will improve how spares, repairs and maintenance work are ca
JMSDF helicopter carrier JS Kaga in India for joint ASW drill
Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) helicopter carrier JS Kaga and guided-missile destroyer JS Inazuma arrived at Visakhapatnam, India, on October 7 as part of the Indo-Southeast Asia Deployment 2018. The JMSDF task group, commanded by Rear Admiral Tatsuya Fukada, Commander, Escort Flotilla
Canada names 1st Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship
The Royal Canadian Navy’s first ship built under the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) project, Harry DeWolf, has been named at Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard. Harry DeWolf is scheduled to be turned over to the Royal Canadian Navy in 2019. Work to prepare the ship for sea trials in 2019
USS Michael Murphy visits PNG ahead of APEC 2018
The US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on October 6. As the first US Navy ship to visit Port Moresby since USS Comstock (LSD 45) in 2017, Michael Murphy arrives as the nation prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperatio
New Japan amphibious brigade joins US-Philippine naval drill
The newly established Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) embarked a US Navy ship for the first time off the Philippine coast on October 2. The ARDB conducted amphibious operations with amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) during Kaagapay N
NATO’s SNMCMG1 returns to Baltic Sea operations
Ships from NATO’s Standing Mine Counter Measures Group One (SNMCMG1) transited the Kiel Canal and arrived in Wismar, Germany, October 5, returning to the Baltic Sea for another routine patrol. The SNMCMG1 visit to Wismar included courtesy calls with local authorities, a force reception and ships ope
Canadian Halifax-class frigates to receive ASW upgrades
The Royal Canadian Navy has given the go-ahead for the Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade (UWSU) of its Halifax-class frigates with a contract award to General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada. The upgrade will modernize the underwater warfare sensor suite that is currently installed on the frigates, e
HII wraps up sale of Avondale facility
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has completed the sale of HII’s Avondale facility to Avondale Marine, a joint venture between terminal operator T.P. Host and real estate firm Hilco Redevelopment Partners. As part of cost-saving measures, HII announced in 2010 the decision to close the facility,