Vessels
Australia unveils new defense export strategy
The Australian federal government has unveiled a new defense export strategy aimed at turning Australia into a major defense exporter. The document, unveiled by defense industry minister Christopher Pyne on Monday, sets out the policy and strategy to make Australia one of the top ten global defense
Photo: USS Missouri arrives at Pearl Harbor homeport
US Navy’s Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) arrived to Pearl Harbor on January completing a homeport change from Groton, Connecticut. Missouri is now assigned to Submarine Squadron 1, and is the sixth Virginia-class submarine stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. “I
US Coast Guard evacuates injured USS Spruance sailor
The US Coast Guard medically evacuated an injured sailor from US Navy destroyer USS Spruance offshore of Palos Verdes on January 27. US Coast Guard sector Los Angeles-Long Beach was notified of a 20-year-old crewmember who had sustained a leg injury aboard the USS Spruance (DDG-111). After consultin
RFA Cardigan Bay hosts US Navy medics for exercise Azraq Serpent
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Cardigan Bay hosted personnel from the US and Royal Navy for exercise Azraq Serpent 18 (AS18). The five-day exercise started January 14 and was aimed at developing interoperability between the two partners across the medical domain in the US 5th fleet area of operations. T
Joint Australia-New Zealand op makes 915kg heroin haul
A New Zealand Defence Force aircraft and an Australian Navy frigate joined forces in the Western Indian Ocean to interdict 915 kilos of heroin worth AUD$274 million. A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 aircraft detected a suspicious vessel on January 23 prompting a boarding and investigation by the
US Navy to survey grounded C-2A Greyhound 5,600 meters below surface
The US Navy announced it is starting a mission to survey the downed C-2A Greyhound aircraft that crashed into the Philippine Sea en route to aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on November 22. The navy will carry out the mission with help from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s research vessel R/V Pet
Royal Navy seeks unmanned, underwater technology ideas
Looking for new technologies to improve the operation of unmanned underwater vehicles, the Royal Navy used the Maritime Enterprise Innovation Scotland Conference (MEISC) to set challenges for developers. During the conference, held at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow on January 24, two speci
ESN bags US Navy combat systems contract
The US Naval Surface Warfare Center has awarded engineering and IT company Engineering Services Network a $39.5 million contract for deliveries of combat system sequencing systems. Under the contract, ESN will be responsible for development, modification, validation and delivery of Combat Systems Op
RFA Fort Rosalie supporting USS Theodore Roosevelt in Persian Gulf
After concluding operations with the Royal Australian Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Fort Rosalie switched to supporting the US Navy’s Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group. As Fort Rosalie joined the US task group in the Persian Gulf, RFA Fort Rosalie personnel were welcomed aboard their Americ
Royal Navy officially receives first River-class OPV HMS Forth
HMS Forth, the first of five second-batch River-class offshore patrol vessels to be built for the Royal Navy, was officially received by the UK defense ministry on Thursday. Forth will be commissioned into the Royal Navy fleet at her home port of Portsmouth Naval Base later this year. UK defense pro
US aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam for first time since war
A US Navy aircraft carrier is likely to visit Vietnam in March, in what would be a first since the Vietnam war ended in 1975. This was announced on Thursday by officials from both countries during a two-day visit of US defense secretary Jim Mattis to Vietnam, according to media reports. No specific
US Coast Guard issues cutter boat RFI
The US Coast Guard has released a request for proposal (RFP) for the design, construction and support of a new fleet of cutter boats. The new boats will replace the current fleet of 36 cutter boats that currently operate aboard the service’s 210-foot medium endurance cutters, 225-foot seagoing buoy
Pearl Harbor welcomes new attack submarine, and another USS Missouri
US Navy’s Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) is scheduled to arrive at its new homeport in Pearl Harbor this week, joining five sister boats already stationed on Hawaii. In addition to becoming the sixth Virginia-class submarine at Pearl Harbor, Missouri will also join anoth
Romanian minesweeper ROS Lt. Lupu Dinescu joins SNMCMG2 in Black Sea
The Romanian Navy has deployed one its four Musca-class minesweepers to join NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 as it operates in the Black Sea. SNMCMG2, with the Royal Navy’s HMS Enterprise at the helm, transited Bosphorus on January 24 and is currently on a Black Sea patrol. In addition