Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ships might join the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson for naval drills as the group of ships centered around the aircraft carrier heads for the Korean Peninsula. Japan would dispatch its destroyers when the U.S. ships enter the East China Sea, Reuters re
The U.S. Navy’s MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter completed the initial testing phase aboard a littoral combat ship returning from USS Montgomery (LCS-8) on April 11. The Fire Scout test team along with USS Montgomery sailors conducted dynamic interface testing to verify the MQ-8C launch and reco
Filipino fishermen are once again allowed to fish in the contested waters off Scarborough Shoal under Chinese Coast Guard supervision, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman confirmed during a regular press conference on Monday. China has given Filipino fishermen access to the waters, based on the “fr
French shipbuilder DCNS delivered the Marine Nationale’s fourth FREMM multi-mission frigate Auvergne on April 11, in Toulon. Auvergne is also the fourth anti-submarine warfare (ASW) variant ship. The French Navy has a total of eight frigates in the class on order, six ASW and two anti-air warfare va
The U.S.-led humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission Pacific Partnership 2017 has arrived in Malaysia. Embarked aboard Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport USNS Fall River (T-EPF 4), servicemen arrived in Port Klang on April 8. The arrival marks Malaysia’s 1
U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) wrapped up a four-day visit to Hong Kong setting sail from port on April 11. The visit allowed nearly 2,500 sailors and marines assigned to the ship and embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit the opportunity to experience Hong Kong’s cult
The U.S. Naval Sea System Command has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a contract for the provision of engineering services and technical, logistics, maintenance and installation/alteration support to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD). AMSEC LLC, now part of the fl
Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi concluded its participation in the EU NAVFOR-led operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea. The carrier stepped down from its duty as flagship of the mission on April 4, some six month after joining the group. During its time spent with operation
Only weeks after visiting her Swedish Navy counterparts from the Royal Swedish Navy’s 31. corvette squadron, German Navy corvette FGS Ludwigshafen am Rhein joined six Swedish ships for a series of maneuvers and drills. In one of the drills, Ludwigshafen am Rhein was to try and enter Swedish coastal
Ships and personnel from U.S., UK and France have kicked off the two-week multilateral amphibious exercise Alligator Dagger 17. The drill is taking place in international waters off the coast of Djibouti and in the vicinity of Djibouti and Arta Beach, between April 5 and 20. Participating forces inc
U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) completed ballistic missile defense (BMD) certification on April 5, off the coast of Southern California as part of deployment preparations. The goal of BMD is to use surveillance and interception techniques to defend the U.S
U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the Eisenhower carrier strike group have been ready to deploy on short notice ever since they returned from their 2016 deployment. Now, approximately 6,000 sailors are conducting a sustainment exercise (SUSTEX) to maintain their readiness and capability to deploy should
The UK Royal Marines are being restructured to better fit the changing Royal Navy fleet, the UK Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday. According to the UK Ministry of Defence, some 200 Royal Marine roles are being repurposed with around half of them being backroom function roles, like drivers and
U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) arrived in Sasebo, Japan, on April 10, completing its regularly-scheduled patrol in the 7th Fleet area of operations. Bonhomme Richard previously stopped in White Beach, Okinawa, to disembark personnel, vehicles and equipment of the 31st
