Vessels
HII sets up giant caisson to speed up submarine production
Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has lifted and mounted a 400-metric ton caisson unit into its new Joint Manufacturing Assembly Facility (JMAF). The company says the fixture will speed up submarine construction. “A fixture of this magnitude allows u
Italian amphibious ship ITS San Giusto becomes new operation Sophia flagship
Italian Navy amphibious ship ITS San Giusto took over as flagship of the EU NAVFOR operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea relieving auxiliary ship ITS Etna. Etna left the mission after almost two months of operations fighting human trafficking and smuggling networks. During her time deployed to t
USS Bonhomme Richard embarks marines for exercise Cobra Gold 2018
US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) has embarked Marines assigned to 3d Marine Division (MARDIV) at White Beach, Okinawa, ahead of exercise Cobra Gold 2018. Bonhomme Richard embarked 3d MARDIV personnel, vehicles and equipment before continuing a scheduled patrol in which
Republic of Korea Navy receives first FFX II frigate ROKS Daegu
The Republic of Korea Navy has received the first of eight Daegu-class (FFX II) frigates, ROKS Daegu (FFG-818), South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on Thursday. Daegu is expected to become operational in the second half of 2018. The frigate was built by Daewoo S
First steel cut for Royal New Zealand Navy’s new tanker
Construction of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s largest ever vessel, the HMNZS Aotearoa, officially started on January 31 with a steel cutting ceremony at Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard in South Korea. The ice-going tanker will be launched in March next year, and enter service in 2020. The ta
Australian air warfare destroyers removed from “Projects of Concern” list
The Australian government on Thursday announced that the Air Warfare Destroyer project was removed from the Projects of Concern list due to continuing improvements in shipbuilding performance. Following an independent review by Professor Don Winter and Dr John White and a review by the Australian Na
French ECA Group joining OCEAN2020 with USVs and AUVs
French autonomous systems developer ECA Group announced its participation in the EU-led autonomous systems integration project OCEAN2020. With Italy’s Leonardo at the helm, ECA Group will join partners from 15 European countries to work on the first cross-European military research program to-date.
Australia’s ASC teams with BMT for submarine know how
Australian shipbuilder ASC signed a collaboration agreement with international engineering consultancy BMT to meet increasing demand for ASC’s submarine platform expertise and experience. The 12-month collaboration agreement, signed at ASC’s submarine headquarters at Osborne, South Australia, will s
America ARG ships returning home
US Navy ships assigned to the America amphibious ready group are on the final leg of their return home from a seven-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific. The ships are scheduled to enter Naval Station San Diego on February 2 after stopping at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, late January. Dur
BAE Systems gets LHA 6, CG 71 repair contracts
The US Navy has awarded BAE Systems two contracts totalling $54.8 million to modernize the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71). Both contracts include options that, if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value of the awards t
DARPA delivers ACTUV autonomous submarine hunter to US Office of Naval Research
US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced it has completed testing and trials of the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) vessel. The technology demonstration vessel, christened Sea Hunter, has now been delivered to the Office of Naval Research (
Australia signs offshore patrol vessel construction contract with Lürssen
The Australian government on January 31 announced it signed the patrol vessel construction contract with German shipbuilder Lürssen. Australian defense industry minster Christopher Pyne said the contract with Lürssen to lead the design and build is worth at least $3 billion for 12 OPVs. “The vessels
STX France, EDR, Socarenam team for Belgian mine countermeasure project
French shipbuilders STX France and Socarenam joined forces with Belgium’s EDR to try and secure a contract for the construction of 12 mine counter measure vessels for the navies of Belgium and the Netherlands. The two navies are jointly procuring mine countermeasure (MCM) vessels and frigates with B
India launches third Scorpene submarine ‘Karanj’
Indian shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) launched the third Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarine for the Indian Navy at its shipyard on January 31. The submarine was named ‘Karanj’ and was launched by Mrs Reena Lanba, President Navy Wives Welfare Association. The launch ceremon