US defense contractor Lockheed Martin has selected a Swedish Automatic Identification System (AIS) manufacturer to deliver its AIS systems for US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines. After an initial order in 2014, Sweden’s True Heading on December 20 announced an expanded contract for the delivery of
The US Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Three One, known as VX-31, on December 14 received an EA-18G Growler aircraft from the Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing St. Louis, the agency’s EA-18G to be delivered. The event signified an important milestone in the Growler program. After mor
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll recently carried out a test firing of the Sea Ceptor missile to verify the weapon system upgrade. The first firings of Sea Ceptor were conducted from HMS Argyll at the Hebrides range off the coast of Scotland and involved firing the system to assess its perfor
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean returned home to naval base Devonport on December 19, concluding her final deployment as a commissioned Royal Navy ship. The ship was scheduled to enter Devonport on December 20, welcomed by families and friends, but a forecast of thick fog brought her final o
General Dynamics Electric Boat has awarded Newport News Shipbuilding a contract worth up to $468 million to begin work on integrated product and process development for the US Navy’s new Columbia-class submarines. Newport News Shipbuilding is a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries. The navy a
Finland’s defense minister on December 19 authorized the country’s defense forces’ logistics command to sign contracts for the upgrade of Hamina-class fast attack missile craft (FAC). The authorization follows the signing of a letter of intent and a pre-design activities contract with Patria Aviatio
The US Navy has officially received its ninth expeditionary fast transport (EPF) vessel – USNS City of Bismarck (EPF 9). The shallow-draft, aluminium catamaran was delivered to the navy by shipbuilder Austal on December 19. EPFs are capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo transport and provide
Boeing’s prototyping department Phantom Works has unveiled the first photos of their contender for the US Navy’s MQ-25 unmanned refueling program. This is the first time the company is displaying its unmanned aircraft system (UAS) proposed for refueling US Navy jets operating from aircraft carriers.
The Italian Navy has taken over command of the operation Sophia task force from the Spanish Navy in a ceremony at Italian naval base Taranto. On the occasion, Italian Navy Rear Admiral Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto replaced Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Javier Moreno as the new deputy force commander. Durin
Canadian shipbuilder Irving Shipbuilding hosted a steel-cutting ceremony on December 19, marking the construction start on the Royal Canadian Navy’s third arctic and offshore patrol ship (AOPS), the HMCS Max Bernays. Carla Qualtrough, Canadian public services and procurement minister, announced the
The Russian state-owned shipyard More has laid the keel for the overall seventh Russian Navy Karakurt-class Project 22800 corvette in a ceremony on December 19 in Feodosia, Crimea. The ship will be named Vikhr and is the third in the class to be built at the More shipyard. The other two ships in the
The recently-commissioned Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is taking on water due to a propeller shaft leak, the Royal Navy has confirmed. A Royal Navy spokesman said the issue with a shaft seal has been identified during the carrier’s sea trials earlier this year. The Royal Navy said
US Navy destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) assisted an Iranian vessel in the Persian Gulf, stranded 60 nautical miles from nearest land with no communication capabilities. An MH-60R Sea Hawk embarked with Preble was conducting routine flight operations on December 16 when they spotted the Iranian vessel
US Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) wrapped up eight months of operations in the US 5th Fleet area of operation returning to her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk on December 15. The cruiser got underway on April 23, as an independent deployer, to support maritime security operatio
