Vessels
USS Essex starts ARGMEUEX with 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
US Navy ships from the Essex amphibious ready group (ARG) and marines assigned to 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) started one of the final preparatory exercises ahead of their deployment later this year. The ARGMEUEX, an exercise led by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 15 and 1st Marine Expeditionary
Japan Coast Guard orders another H225 helicopter
The Japan Coast Guard has ordered another H225 helicopter from Airbus Helicopters, bringing its fleet of H225 aircraft to ten units. JCG currently operates three AS332s and five H225s, both from the Super Puma family. With this new order, the coast guard’s Super Puma fleet will grow to 13 units by M
GMB: UK shipyards need to get £1bn order for new RFA ships
The UK government should reverse its decision to put a £1 billion order for three new military support ships out to non-UK bidders, the country’s union for shipbuilding workers GMB said. As explained, the New Fleet Solid Support ships are needed to service the UK’s £6.3 billion Queen Elizabeth-class
SNMCMG2 welcomes Italian, Turkish mine countermeasure ships
Italian and Turkish navies are sending their ships to join Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2). On April 23, the Italian Navy’s minesweeper Alghero departed La Spezia and is en route to the base port Mahón. In addition, the Turkish Navy’s mine countermeasures vessel TCG Anamur is
US Navy receives second Zumwalt-class destroyer Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001)
The US Navy officially received its second Zumwalt-class destroyer, the future USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) in a ceremony on April 24. Delivery of DDG 1001 follows extensive tests, trials and demonstrations of the ship’s hull, mechanical and electrical
HMS Magpie on sea trials ahead of next month’s delivery
The first of a fleet of over 30 new workboats that are to join the Royal Navy has started rough weather sea trials in the Irish Sea less than a month after being launched. In addition to being the first, the future HMS Magpie is also the largest of the batch. It is set to […]
Spanish warships switch places in counter piracy mission off Africa
A Spanish offshore patrol vessel replaced an auxiliary oiler as the Spanish Navy contribution to the counter-piracy effort off the Horn of Africa – operation Atalanta. On April 21, oiler ESPS Patino left the Somali basin after five months of operations as part of the EUNAVFOR-led operation. Filling
Wasp completes first patrol in US 7th Fleet
The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) has wrapped up the inaugural patrol following its homeport shift to the US 7th Fleet area of operations earlier this year. Wasp and other ships of the Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) have been operating with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
Italian Navy takes delivery of 7th FREMM frigate
The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its newest frigate, Federico Martinengo. The delivery ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Muggiano shipyard, La Spezia, on April 24. The newbuild is the seventh of a series of ten vessels of the FREMM program – Multi Mission European Frigates – commissioned to
USS Coronado wraps up COBRA coastal mine detection system operational testing
US Navy littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) has successfully completed operational testing of the Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) System, the navy has announced. This second phase of testing for Coronado, which began shortly after completion of developmental testing, Fe
Damen lays keel for first of two Pakistan Navy OPVs
Dutch shipbuilder Damen recently hosted a keel-laying ceremony for the first of two Pakistan Navy offshore patrol vessels at its shipyard in Galati, Romania. The ceremony was attended by Pakistan Navy Rear Admiral Farrokh Ahmad, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Projects), other navy officials and Da
ASW drill Guardian Sea starting in Thailand
US and Royal Thai Navy (RTN) ships and submarines are teaming up for a five-day anti-submarine and maritime domain awareness exercise which will be taking place in the Andaman Sea from April 25. The exercise is called Guardian Sea and will involve cooperative evolutions designed to enhance mutual ca
UK officially launches Submarine Delivery Agency
The UK defense ministry officially launched the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) on April 23. SDA will lead on the procurement, in-service support and decommissioning of all UK nuclear submarines. The announcement comes after an extra £800 million was secured by the defense ministry for the Royal Nav
US Navy establishes littoral combat ship surface warfare division
The US Navy has formally established Commander, Surface Division ELEVEN (COMSURFACEDIV 11), a littoral combat ship surface warfare division of the San Diego-based LCSRON-1 squadron. While the COMSURFACEDIV 11 has been operating as an official command since March 9, a formal ceremony was held Apr. 20