Vessels
BAE Systems gets $34M for USS Pearl Harbor overhaul
The US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair a $34.1 million contract for the overhaul of USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52). The contract will see BAE Systems perform a selected restricted availability which will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repa
US-Japan amphibious drill Iron Fist concludes off California
US Marines and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force concluded exercise Iron Fist 2018 off the coast of Southern California, February 7. US Navy’s Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) Rushmore provided both an amphibious and air platform for US Marine Corps and Japanese Ground
Pakistan Navy frigate seizes 5 tonnes of hashish in Arabian Sea
Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Aslat seized 5 tonnes of hashish in the Arabian Sea on February 6, continuing a success-streak of the international Combined Task Force (CTF) 150. With this latest seizure, CTF 150 has confiscated over $1 billion USD of narcotics since December 2017. PNS Aslat was conductin
Vietnam Navy commissions two Russian-built Gepard 3.9 frigates
The Vietnam People’s Navy commissioned two Gepard-class (Project 1166.1) frigates in a ceremony held at Cam Ranh military port, on February 6. This is the second pair of frigates to be delivered by Russian shipbuilder Zelenodolsk Plant Named After A.M. Gorky. The commissioning ceremony took place af
US destroyers Dewey and Sterett get underway for “up-gunned” Expeditionary Strike Group deployment in Indo Pacific
US Navy destroyers USS Dewey (DDG 105) and USS Sterett (DDG 104) got underway from their San Diego homeport on February 6 to start a deployment to the Indo-Pacific region which will see them work together with the F-35B ready USS Wasp. The two destroyers will be supporting an expeditionary strike gr
Thales to work on French Navy’s future ballistic missile submarine sonar tech
French defense and technology company Thales announced it was awarded a 42-month contract from the French defense procurement agency (DGA) to carry out a set of studies and technological developments in support of a sonar system that will equip the third-generation of the French nuclear-powered ball
HMS Albion sets sail for NATO deployment
HMS Albion, the Royal Navy’s recently refurbished amphibious assault ship, deployed on Tuesday to become flagsip of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). The ship sailed from Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth and will operate in the Mediterranean for five months. Captain Tim Neild, HMS Albion com
BAE Systems bags SPAWAR contract
The US Navy has awarded BAE Systems a contract to provide equipment and support services for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic (SPAWAR). As one of several companies involved, BAE Systems will pursue future orders as part of this five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ)
Finland seeks Harpoon, ESSM missiles for new corvettes, missile boat upgrades
Finland is looking to acquire a total of $730 million worth of US-built missiles for its future multi-role corvettes and for the upgrade of its Hamina-class missile boats. The US State Department approved the possible sale on Monday, which, if realized, would be the first time Finland has bought eit
USS Abraham Lincoln completes carrier qualifications
Naval aviators from four squadrons completed carrier qualifications on US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on February 2. During this period, Abraham Lincoln qualified pilots from the “Gladiators” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106, the “Flying Eagles” of Strike Fi
HMS Queen Elizabeth achieves another first by embarking air squadron
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth embarked 820 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) on February 5 in what is the first time that any squadron has embarked the ship. The Merlin Mk 2 helicopters of 820 NAS have been working with the ship since she sailed for the first time from Rosyth in June last [
Attack submarine USS Annapolis changes homeport from Groton to San Diego
US Navy’s Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Annapolis (SSN 760) on February 2 arrived at her new San Diego homeport at Naval Base Point Loma, completing an inner-fleet transfer from Groton, Connecticut. Annapolis is now one of five Los Angeles-class submarines assigned to Commander, Submar
Royal Netherlands Navy getting Safran navigation for Walrus submarines
Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has contracted Safran to deliver its Sigma 40 inertial navigation units and the associated computers to modernize the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Walrus-class submarines. “We chose Safran Electronics & Defense because we have great confidence in their long expe
US Navy’s second Zumwalt-class destroyer completes acceptance trials
Future USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), the US Navy’s second Zumwalt-class destroyer, completed acceptance trials on February 1, the US Naval Sea Systems Command announced The US Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey reviewed the ship and its crew during a series of demonstrations both pier side and