Vessels
US destroyer USS Hopper returns from Persian Gulf deployment
The US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on February 9 after four months of operations in the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf. Hopper operated in the US 7th and 5th Fleets, Hopper supporting ballistic missile defense and promoting securit
NATO groups in Black Sea make port calls in Bulgaria
NATO ships from two maritime groups currently operating in the Black Sea entered two Bulgarian port cities for weekend port calls. On February 10, three warships from Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, as part of their routine Black Sea patrol. Led by Royal Navy Com
Spanish frigate to lead Mediterranean operation Sea Guardian
Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Navarra will be leading a three-ship NATO group during the Mediterranean Sea operation Sea Guardian, the Spanish defense ministry announced. In addition to the Spanish Santa Maria-class frigate, the group will include Belgian frigate BNS Louise Marie and an Italian Navy shi
US Coast Guard issues sUAS RFP
The US Coast Guard on February 7 released a request for proposal for the procurement of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for its national security cutters (NSCs). The US Coast Guard is looking to buy commercially available intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems for the NSC fleet
Amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima deploys to Europe and Middle East
US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) got underway from Naval Station Mayport, Florida, on February 7 to lead a three-ship group on a deployment to Europe and Middle East. With more than 2,500 sailors and marines aboard, USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) will spend the next six months as the lea
HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Gibraltar on first overseas visit
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth pulled into Gibraltar on Friday morning for her first ever overseas port visit. The visit will be a logistical one for the 65,000-tonne future flagship which left her home in Portsmouth last week for helicopter trials. These helicopter trials take plac
US Navy releases final multiyear procurement RFP for Flight III DDG 51 destroyers
The US Navy on February 8 released the final request for proposal (RFP) for a multiyear contract for Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer construction. The DDG 51 multiyear procurement (MYP) contract will cover fiscal years 2018 to 2022 and will be limited to competition between the two current
HMAS Hobart on first visit to namesake city
The lead ship of the Royal Australian Navy’s air warfare destroyers newest ship in the fleet arrived to Hobart for the first ever visit to its namesake city. This port visit is the first time in 18 years a ship carrying the name Hobart has visited the city of Hobart and will see the guided […
Turkish minehunter finds historic mine in Black Sea
A Turkish Navy minehunter deployed to NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) discovered a historic mine during routine training in the Black Sea on February 7. According to NATO Maritime Command, minehunter TCG Akcay discovered the mine using her mine hunting sonar to scan the sea
TKMS cuts steel for first Israeli Sa’ar 6-class corvette
Construction of a new class of Israeli Navy corvettes started in Germany on February 7, with a steel-cutting ceremony at the Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel. The high profile ceremony was attended by the head of the Israeli Navy, Admiral Eli Sharvit, and German Navy inspector Vice-admir
Keel laid for Turkish landing helicopter dock TCG Anadolu
Turkish shipbuilder Sedef has held a keel-laying ceremony for the Turkish Navy amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu at its shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul. Once commissioned, the landing helicopter dock will be the first of its kind in the Turkish Navy. It is designed by Navantia and based on the Spanish
US Marines test modified mine plow on “The Shredder”
The US Marine Corps recently tested a mine plow prototype on their Assault Breacher Vehicle, nicknamed “The Shredder”, during exercise Steel Knight in December 2017. The ABV conducted its first amphibious landing with a Modified Full Width Mine Plow prototype during the long-range breaching exercise
Polish rescue vessel ORP Piast getting sonar, DP system upgrades
The Polish Navy recently awarded Teledyne RESON a contract to deliver a multibeam system for its rescue vessel ORP Piast. The company announced on February 8 that the SeaBat T50-R multibeam sonar system was delivered and is currently being installed in the hull of the rescue vessel at the Nauta Ship
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose flexes guns on Norwegian range
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose recently visited the NATO weapon and sensor range at Stavanger, in southern Norway, for a week of weapons and sensors checks. The ship arrived for a weekend alongside in Stavanger and after a day of harbour checks, went to sea on the test range for 3 days, w