Vessels
German, Polish, Swedish minehunters meet for Baltic Sea drills
Polish Navy minehunter ORP Wigry joined German Navy mine countermeasure ships from the Kiel-based 3rd Minesweeping Squadron for mine countermeasure drills in the Baltic Sea. German units taking part in the exercise included minehunters Datteln and Sulzbach-Rosenberg, minesweeper Pegnitz and tender D
Bataan ARG enters 6th Fleet AOO
U.S. Navy’s Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), together with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), entered the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations on March 7. While in theater, more than 4,000 sailors and marines of the ARG and MEU will train to share information, experiences, and work together.
India decommissions its aircraft carrier INS Viraat
Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Viraat was decommissioned in Mumbai on Monday after 56 years of service. The ship had its naval ensign and commissioning pennant hauled down one last time during a ceremony attended by all of 21 Indian Navy commanding officers to have commanded the carrier in almos
Australia’s first air warfare destroyer completes sea acceptance trials
Australia’s first air warfare destroyer NUSHIP Hobart returned to Adelaide after completing its sea acceptance trials off the coast of South Australia. Hobart spent the past five weeks demonstrating its on-board weapons capabilities, including 21 days at sea, where it conducted 20 platform system te
Fincantieri launches seventh FREMM frigate for Italian Navy
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri launched ‘Federico Martinengo’, the seventh Italian Navy FREM frigate, during a ceremony on March 4 at the Riva Trigoso shipyard in Genoa. Federico Martinengo is the seventh of overall ten vessels in the Carlo Bergamini-class Fincantieri is to build for the Italian Na
US Coast Guard christens seventh national security cutter
The U.S. Coast Guard commissioned the seventh Legend-class National Security Cutter, Kimball (WMSL 756), in a ceremony on March 4. The Huntington Ingalls-built ship is named in honor of Sumner I. Kimball, who organized and directed the U.S. Life-Saving Service and was a pioneer in organizing all of
Canadian Project Resolve AOR superstructure to arrive from Finland
Davie Shipbuilding, the contractor in charge of constructing the Royal Canadian Navy’s Resolve-class auxiliary oiler replenishment vessel, has subcontracted ALMACO Group for the delivery of a superstructure for the vessel. Project Resolve consists of converting a containership, former MV Asterix whi
USS Carl Vinson hosts Philippine officials at sea
U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson welcomed Philippine officials for an at-sea tour of the aircraft carrier in the South China Sea. Among the guests who landed on the deck on March 4 were the Philippines secretary of national defense retired Brig. Gen. Delfin Negrillo Lorenzan
Australian Navy showcases its new vertical take-off UAV at Avalon
The Royal Australian Navy’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Unit (UASU) showcased the navy’s newly acquired Schiebel Camcopter S-100 vertical take-off UAV at the Avalon airshow that concluded on March 5. The UASU is tasked with trialing and testing two different unmanned aircraft types – the ScanEagle (fi
US Navy deploys mine countermeasure UUV from helicopter
The U.S. Navy recently demonstrated a new mine sweeping technique during a test in which a MH-60S helicopter deployed a MK-18 Mod 2 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). This demonstration proved a possible lighter, less time intensive way to sweep for mines in theatre, compared to a MH-53E helicopter
Royal Navy flagship makes a rare stop in Beirut
Royal Navy flagship HMS Ocean visited Beirut en route home, becoming the first Royal Navy vessel in five years to visit the Lebanese capital. The helicopter carrier arrived in Lebanon on March 4 having concluded a six-month deployment in the Middle East. Ocean’s captain, Capt Rob Pedre, was joined b
San Diego shipyards win $383M worth of US Navy contracts
The U.S. Navy awarded three San Diego shipyards a combined $383 million of contract modifications for the maintenance and modernization of amphibious ships homeported in San Diego, California. The three shipbuilders to win the contracts are BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, Continental Maritime of
USS Bonhomme Richard visits White Beach
U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) arrived at White Beach, Okinawa, Japan, on March 4. During the port visit, the ship will embark Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), along with their vehicles and cargo, prior to departing for a routine patrol. “We are go
NATO warships visit Plymouth for FOST training
Warship deployed to two standing NATO maritime groups arrived in Plymouth on Friday for an informal port visit and an opportunity to take part in Royal Navy’s renowned Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST). Led by Norwegian Navy Commodore Ole Morten Sandquist, visiting ships from Standing NATO Maritime G