Vessels
Australia puts amphibious capabilities to the test
Taking charge of the largest amphibious assault conducted by an Australian force in 70 years as part of exercise Talisman Saber presented an opportunity to shine for the Amphibious Task Group Headquarters. The assault, led from amphibious asssault ship HMAS Canberra, was a significant milestone in t
German cartel office OKs newly-formed K 130 corvette construction consortium
Construction of additional five corvettes for the German Navy has been cleared for take-off by the German cartel office which ruled that the newly-formed shipbuilding consortium broke no cartel laws. This means that German Naval Yards Kiel GmbH will be able to join the ARGE K130 consortium – made up
Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter concludes German frigate integration
A Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter has wrapped up its integration aboard a German Navy frigate during her pre-deployment training which started in April this year. The Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton-based helicopter spent seven weeks aboard the Bremen-class frigate FGS Lübeck. This was also t
French destroyer set for Romanian drills after entering Black Sea
French Navy’s Horizon-class air warfare destroyer FS Chevalier Paul is scheduled to join Romanian Navy vessels for maritime exercises on July 19, two days after entering the Black Sea. FS Chevalier Paul is expected to be joined by three Romanian Navy vessels for a set of joint activities in the Blac
Peru hosts 19 nations for multilateral exercise UNITAS
Peru is hosting naval forces from 19 countries for this year’s edition of the annual exercise UNITAS. Scheduled to conclude on July 26, the exercise will be commanded by Peruvian navy Rear Adm. Alberto Alcala. Participating countries include the United States, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Aust
US Navy fires first Tomahawks from new Virginia-class payload tubes
The U.S. Navy has test fired two Tomahawk cruise missiles from the newly designed submarine payload tubes on the Virginia-class USS North Dakota (SSN-784) for the first time ever. The tests took place in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida and proved the submarine’s ability to load, carry and vertically
Patrol boats join big warships for Talisman Sabre drill
Royal Australian Navy’s Armidale class patrol boats joined their much larger counterparts for the northern component of exercise Talisman Sabre proving they can play a role in complex war drills. The Darwin-based HMAS Bathurst and Broome took on a superior force including guided missile frigates HMA
US, India, Japan conclude major Bay of Bengal drill
Ships, submarines and aircraft from the U.S., India and Japan concluded their participation in the week-long Bay of Bengal exercise Malabar 2017 The exercise was designed to advance military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.
Italy blocks extension of EU migrant mission in the Med
Following an EU Committee report into the operation Sophia which said the undertaking is not working, EU members seem less willing to continue the mission. The mission which, as the report says, was failing to deliver its mandate of disrupting the migrant smugglers’ networks, was supposed to be exte
Chinese Navy task group heads for Baltic Sea and bilateral drills with Russian Navy
A Chinese Navy three-ship task group is sailing towards the Baltic Sea where it is set to take part in exercises with the Russian Navy. The bilateral drill, dubbed “Maritime Interaction 2017”, is scheduled to take place between July 21 and 28, and will involve an overall of 21 ships, according to a
Piriou overhauls Royal Moroccan Navy patrol vessel Rais Bargach
French Piriou Naval Services announced it has just completed an extensive refit of the Royal Moroccan Navy patrol vessel Rais Bargach. Rais Bargach is a 65m ocean-going patrol vessel built in 1995 by STX France. It is one of five vessels in the class. Piriou Naval Services, a repair and services bra
USS Pearl Harbor visits Pearl Harbor
U.S. Navy’s amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) pulled into Pearl Harbor on July 14 for its first scheduled port visit of the 2017 deployment. The ship’s arrival at its namesake location marks the first time Pearl Harbor has visited Hawaii since completing Pacific Partnership in 2
Royal Navy assault ship HMS Albion completes first set of trials
Royal Navy assault ship HMS Albion has completed her first set of sea trials, spending four weeks in open waters after being tied to port for six years. After a £90m revamp in her home base which took her out of mothballs and saw 110 major changes and improvements carried out, the assault ship left
Canada’s arctic and offshore patrol vessel Harry DeWolf reaches another milestone
Reaching another milestone in the construction of the Royal Canadian Navy’s arctic and offshore patrol ships, Canadian shipbuilder Irving Shipbuilding moved the first two of three major sections of the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) outside. This milestone on the future HMCS Harry DeWo