Vessels
USS Montgomery completes combat system qualifications
US Navy’s Independence variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) has completed combat system ship qualification trials (CSSQT), the US Navy announced. During the qualification, which concluded July 1, several trials validated the performance of the combat systems suite. The tests involved
Australian tanker HMAS Success on final RIMPAC deployment before retiring
Royal Australian Navy’s 32-year-old tanker HMAS Success is taking part in her 11th and final exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) in Hawaii. The auxiliary oiler – also known as navy’s ‘battle tanker’ – sailed from Pearl Harbor along with HMA Ships Adelaide, Melbourne and Toowoomba for the sea phase
GA-ASI to integrate Leonardo’s SAGE EWS into MQ-9B UAV
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) has teamed up with Leonardo to integrate SAGE electronic warfare surveillance system onto its MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicle. SAGE will be offered as an available baseline configuration for MQ-9B customers of Sky Guardian and maritime surveillance Se
Spanish frigate returns home from 3-month NATO deployment
Spanish Navy F100 frigate Álvaro de Bazán (F-101) has returned to the Ferrol Naval Base following a three-month deployment to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1. During her deployment, Álvaro de Bazán sailed more than 16,000 nautical miles and visited seven countries. In mid-April, the frigate set sai
Germany’s NH90 Sea Lion starts qualification flights ahead of 2019 delivery
The NH90 Sea Lion helicopters Airbus is constructing for the German Navy entered the qualification phase as the second prototype helicopter performed its first flight in serial configuration on July 10. The event marked the beginning of the helicopter’s qualification phase which will be undertaken t
USS Gerald R. Ford enters HII yard for post-shakedown repairs
The US Navy’s most expensive ship ever, aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), arrived at Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, July 14 to begin its post-shakedown availability (PSA) period. The PSA will be a yearlong maintenance and upgrade peri
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan returns from NATO tasking in the Med
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan returned to her homeport in Portsmouth after six months of operations as flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). During her time at the helm of SNMG2, Duncan led an international group of frigates, destroyers and patrol ships on operations in the
HMS Montrose on maneuvers in Baltic Sea as part of nine-nation partnership
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose recently sailed to the Baltic Sea for two weeks of exercises as part of a new agreement on military cooperation between the UK and Baltic states. Earlier this month, defense ministers of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and
Video: RIMPAC participants sink decommissioned landing ship USS Racine
Australian, Japanese and US units joined forces on July 12 to sink the decommissioned ex-USS Racine (LST-1191) during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) as part of RIMPAC 2018. Live fire from aircraft, a submarine, and land assets sank the former landing ship in waters 15,000 feet deep 55 nautical miles no
Seventh Freedom-variant LCS wraps up acceptance trials
The US Navy’s seventh Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, the future USS Wichita (LCS 13), has completed acceptance trials in the waters of Lake Michigan. The next step for the vessel will be the delivery to the US Navy which is scheduled to take place later this summer. During her trials, which t
Keel laid for Russian Navy’s final Project 21631 ship
The keel has been laid for the Russian Navy’s final Project 21631 small missile ship, the country’s defense ministry said. The ceremony for the corvette Stavropol was held at Zelenodolsk Shipyard on July 12, 2018. Scheduled for delivery in 2023, Stavropol is the navy’s twelfth Project 21631 (Buyan-M
Turkish Navy orders new replenishment ship
The Turkish Navy will be receiving a new replenishment vessel under a contract announced by Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) on July 12. The vessel will be built by Sefine Shipyard with design and engineering services provided by Istanbul-based SEFT Ship Design. Financial detai
Ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska returns from first patrol after 41-month overhaul
The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) has returned from her first strategic deterrent mission since 2013. The submarine deployed with the Blue crew and returned to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor on July 12. Nebraska recently completed a 41-month engineered refueling overhaul (
Metal Shark partners with ASV Global to offer autonomous vessels
US-based boat builder Metal Shark has teamed up with autonomous vessel technology developer ASV Global to offer an entire range of autonomous vessels. The autonomous technology – named “Sharktech” – is offered on Metal Shark’s entire portfolio of vessels, which range from 16’ to over 300’ in aluminu