Vessels
US Navy identifies missing USS Stethem sailor after suspending search
After suspending search efforts, the U.S. Navy identified the missing USS Stethem (DDG 63) sailor as Lt. Steven D. Hopkins. Hopkins was reported missing and assumed overboard on August 1, during what the navy described as routine operations in the South China Sea. USS Stethem was 140 miles of Subic
USS George Washington starting four-year overhaul
The U.S. Navy’s sixth aircraft carrier, USS George Washington, is set to arrive at Newport News Shipbuilding on Friday to begin its four-year mid-life refit after 25 years of service. This was announced by Newport News Shipbuilding president Jennifer Boykin who said the company had been working unde
Royal Navy Merlins complete five-month stint aboard FS Mistral
A group of Royal Navy sailors and marines together with two Royal Navy Merlin Mk3 helicopters spent the past five months deployed aboard the French helicopter carrier FS Mistral during its Jeanne D’Arc mission. FS Mistral, together with frigate FS Courbet, embarked Royal Navy personnel in March for
US Navy’s AN/SPY-6(V) AMDR radar passes another ballistic missile test
After passing a short-range ballistic missile test in March this year, the U.S. Navy’s AN/SPY-6(V) Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) was now tested against a medium-range ballistic missile target that was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauai, Hawaii. In the test that took pla
Portsmouth Naval Base boosting energy capacity
Royal Navy’s Portsmouth Naval Base will be receiving a new combined heat and power plant which will recycle energy, reduce carbon footprint and save the UK defense ministry up to £4million per year in energy costs. BAE Systems is beginning work to install the plant as energy and electrical requireme
Lockheed gets $26.5 million for US Navy laser guided training rounds
The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $26.5 million contract to produce Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTR). The contract includes a base year order with options for four additional years. Under the contract, which extends ELGTR production into late 2019, Lockheed Martin will deliver
Sri Lanka Navy commissions offshore patrol vessel SLNS Sayurala
The Sri Lankan Navy commissioned SLNS Sayurala, the first of two offshore patrol vessel, in a ceremony at Colombo naval base on August 2. Sayurala was built by Indian shipbuilder Goa Shipyards Limited under a US$ 155 million contract and is the largest vessels the Sri Lanka has operated. The vessel
Second Royal Navy tanker starts voyage from South Korea to UK
RFA Tiderace, the second of four Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tide-class ships, has gotten underway from Okpo, South Korea starting her lengthy voyage to UK. Tiderace departed the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard and has sailed the Japanese Kanmon Strait, according to latest AIS d
Qatar signs €5 billion warship deal amid sanctions row
A €5 billion deal between Italy and Qatar for the construction of seven navy vessels is now official following an announcement made by Qatar’s foreign minister on Wednesday. “I am pleased to announce the conclusion of a deal between the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces to buy seven naval units from Italy i
NATO SNMG1 joins UK-US carrier-centric drill Saxon Warrior
When the joint UK-US exercise Saxon Warrior kicked off in waters north of Scotland on August 1, 9000 NATO-sailors on 15 warships got underway for the drills. In addition to U.S. and Royal Navy assets, the exercise is joined by the flagship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1, the Norwegian Navy frig
USS Carl Vinson starts carrier qualifications
The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) got underway from her homeport of Naval Air Station North Island on July 31 to complete fleet replacement squadron (FRS) carrier qualifications (CQ). During the underway period, Carl Vinson will team up with the Strike Fighter Sq
Australian sailors visit US Coast Guard’s ‘ship in a box’ facility in Bahrain
The boarding party of Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle trained with the United States Coast Guard members during the frigate’s first port visit while deployed in the Middle East. Australian personnel completed a five-day course delivered by the Coast Guard at the Naval Support Activity i
Royal Navy celebrates 100 years of carrier aviation
The Royal Navy marked hundred years of aircraft carrier operations with a Merlin Mk2 helicopter landing and taking off from the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth on August 2. On a clear but windy day at Scapa Flow, pilots Lieutenant Greg Weal and Lieutenant Nick Allen flew their 14-tonne helicopter
US Navy: More Virginia-class submarines can be built
A new plan to build more attack submarines could be supported by the U.S. industrial base with careful planning and sufficient funding, a U.S. Navy report to Congress has concluded. Titled “The Submarine Industrial Base and the Viability of Producing Additional Attack Submarines Beyond the Fiscal Ye