The sail-by of a US Navy destroyer near one of China’s artificial islands built in the South China Sea “violated Chinese laws and international law and severely undermined China’s sovereignty and security”, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told media during a press conference on August 11. Sp
The US State Department has approved the Thailand government’s request for the acquisition of RGM-84L Harpoon Block II surface launched missiles. The requested contract for the possible foreign military sale has an estimated cost of $24.9 million and has been approved by the Defense Security Coopera
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS John S. McCain sailed within 12 miles of a Chinese artificial reef in the South China Sea on Thursday, according to Reuters. Citing unidentified officials, Reuters wrote that the USS John S. McCain sailed close to the disputed Mischief Reef in the Spratly
US destroyer USS Fitzgerald which was heavily damaged in a June 17 collision with a merchant vessel will be sent back from Japan to the US for repairs, the US Navy has decided. A US Navy 7th Fleet spokesperson confirmed this to Naval Today adding that the contract to transport the Arleigh Burke-clas
The US Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), concluded a three-month patrol of Indo-Asia- Pacific returning to its base at Yokosuka, Japan, on August 9. During the patrol, Ronald Reagan participated in exercise Talisman Saber 2017, designed to enhance U.S.-Australian
The US Navy amphibious transport dock USS San Diego (LPD 22) arrived in the Cam Ranh International Port for a routine technical stop on August 6. The ship visited Vietnam while on deployment with the America amphibious ready group whose flagship, the USS America, pulled into Singapore on the same da
The U.S. embassy in Philippines transferred custody of a new joint maritime law enforcement training center (JMLETC) to the Philippine government in a ceremony on in Magarwak, Barangay Santa Lourdes, Puerto Princesa City, on August 4. The center is valued at over Php 65.4 million (approx. US$1.3 mil
The U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), currently operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations on its maiden deployment, pulled into Singapore for a visit on August 6. Sailors and marines aboard America have been conducting unit-level training in a number of warfare areas
After suspending search efforts, the U.S. Navy identified the missing USS Stethem (DDG 63) sailor as Lt. Steven D. Hopkins. Hopkins was reported missing and assumed overboard on August 1, during what the navy described as routine operations in the South China Sea. USS Stethem was 140 miles of Subic
The Sri Lankan Navy commissioned SLNS Sayurala, the first of two offshore patrol vessel, in a ceremony at Colombo naval base on August 2. Sayurala was built by Indian shipbuilder Goa Shipyards Limited under a US$ 155 million contract and is the largest vessels the Sri Lanka has operated. The vessel
RFA Tiderace, the second of four Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tide-class ships, has gotten underway from Okpo, South Korea starting her lengthy voyage to UK. Tiderace departed the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard and has sailed the Japanese Kanmon Strait, according to latest AIS d
A U.S. Navy sailor from the guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem went missing on Augist 1 during routine operations in the South China Sea and the search is still ongoing, the U.S. Navy said. Ships and aircraft from the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are taking part in search and re
The Republic of Korea Navy received its new landing ship on August 1, according to an announcement from the country’s arms procurement agency DAPA. The Hyundai Heavy Industries-built ship is named ‘Cheon Ja Bong’ and is the second of overall four LST ships to be delivered to the Republic of Korea Na
Naval forces from the U.S. and Japan concluded ten days of mine countermeasure exercises on July 28. 2JA MCMEX is an annual bilateral exercise held between the U.S. and Japan and this year marked the 100th time that the U.S. and the Japanese have conducted bilateral mine countermeasures together, of
