Vessels
New Zealand Navy welcomes first female frigate commander
Royal New Zealand Navy Commander Lisa Hunn became the first woman to assume command of a New Zealand Navy frigate, during a change of command ceremony for HMNZS Te Mana at Devonport Naval Base, on June 14. The June 14 ceremony was one of five that took place in the RNZN in May and June. […]
Chinese Navy task group visits New Zealand
After completing port calls in Madagascar and Australia, ships from the Chinese PLA Navy’s 25th Task Group arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, on June 15. The ships are on a goodwill visit tour in Asia Pacific following their counter-piracy deployment in the Gulf of Aden. Composed of two Type 054A fri
Chinese Navy task group heads for Iran following port visit to Pakistan
A Chinese PLA Navy task group composed of three ships completed a four-day visit to Pakistan’s Karachi port and set sail for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. The ships are expected to arrive in Iran on Thursday. During their time in Pakistan, Type 052C destroyer ‘Changchun’, Type 054A frigate ‘Jing
Ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska completes sea trials after two-year overhaul
The U.S. Navy’s 14th Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) returned to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor on June 9, completing her sea trials after a two-year engineering refueling overhaul (ERO). The week-long underway was a success, according to the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command.
US Navy underestimating cost of second Ford-class carrier: GAO
The U.S. Navy should develop a more accurate cost estimate for its second Ford-class carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), if it wants to avoid the mistakes made on the lead ship, an independent watchdog has warned. The recently delivered USS Gerald R. Ford cost the navy over $2 billion
Australian Navy frigate seizes heroin off African coast
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta interdicted 260kg of heroin in the north Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa on June 8. This is the frigate’s third drug interception as part of operation Manitou. The drugs were intercepted after the ship’s embarked Seahawk helicopter detected the suspicio
German P-3C Orion detachment conclude operation Atlanta stint
German soldiers and personnel assigned to the P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) detachment are concluding a three-month deployment to the EUNAVFOR’s operation Atalanta this week. Before the 85 personnel depart their current base in Djibouti to fly home to Germany, Atalanta Fo
Overhauled Royal Navy frigate receives her embarked Merlin Mk2 helicopter
After completing two-year overhaul in Portsmouth, Royal Navy frigate HMS Westminster has trained with a number of Merlin Mk2 helicopters during her preparations to return to the fleet. The Type 23 frigate now has her own embarked Merlin, however, named Gatekeeper – for guardian to underworld from Gh
New Zealand Navy’s sole tanker concludes her last deployment
Royal New Zealand Navy’s fleet oiler returned to her homeport of Devonport Naval Base on June 13 completing her last operational deployment. The 30-year-old Endeavour wrapped up a four-month South-east Asia deployment and is set to be decommissioned later this year. HMNZS Endeavour started her servi
Pakistan orders offshore patrol vessel from Damen
Pakistan’s defense ministry has signed a contract with Dutch ship designer Damen for the acquisition of a locally-built offshore patrol vessel (OPV). The contract was signed on June 12 during an event attended by navy and company representatives and Dutch ambassador to Pakistan Jeannette Seppen. Acc
Indian Navy ships arrive in Australia for drills
An Indian Navy task group of three ships sailed into Fremantle, Australia, to participate in a week-long naval exercise off the Western Australian coast. Exercise Australia India is a regular bilateral maritime exercise aimed at developing a deeper understanding and cooperation between the two navie
Climate change breaks off Canadian climate chase study
Scientists aboard the Canadian research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen were forced to cancel the first leg of the 2017 expedition due to hazardous southward motion of Arctic sea ice, caused by climate change. The adverse conditions postponed the Hudson Bay System Study (BaySys) which involves 40 scientist
USS Michael Murphy to return from five-month deployment
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) is set to return to its homeport Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after completing a five-month deployment. While deployed to the Western Pacific under the U.S. 3rd Fleet Forward construct, Michael Murphy promoted se
USS Wasp completes maintenance, ready for new homeport
U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) is nearly ready to head to her new homeport in Japan after works on her maintenance availability were completed in Norfolk. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) completed the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Planned Maintenance Avai