Vessels
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower arrives in Marseille, France
The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) arrived in Marseille, France, on its way home from the counter-ISIL mission. The nuclear-powered carrier arrived in France for a scheduled port visit on December 16. Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group departed Norfol
US Coast Guard’s seventh national security cutter launched
NSC Kimball, the U.S. Coast Guard’s seventh national security cutter, was launched at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on December 17. The launching ceremony took place just days after the service received the sixth cutter USCGC Munro ahead of its commissioning in Seattle on April 1,
US Navy, Coast Guard wrap up joint fisheries patrol in Oceania
The U.S. Coast Guard joined the navy for two months of fisheries and law enforcement patrols in the Central and South Pacific under the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative. The mission was concluded on Wednesday, December 14. A Coast Guard law enforcement detachment embarked USS Sampson (DDG 102) a
German F123 frigate returns from operation Sophia
FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, German Navy’s F123 frigate, is set to return from its Mediterranean Sea deployment on Friday, December 23. The frigate was part of the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia which is aimed at curbing migrant and weapon smuggling activities in the Mediterranean Sea. Mecklenburg-Vor
Pentagon: China will return underwater drone ‘stolen’ in South China Sea
China will return an underwater drone it ‘stole’ from the USNS Bowditch, a civilian U.S. Navy oceanographic survey ship which was operating in the South China Sea, the Pentagon said on Thursday. “Through direct engagement with Chinese authorities, we have secured an understanding that the Chinese wi
US Navy assessment backs Trump’s 350-plus ship plan
A U.S. Navy report on its future naval force requirements is in line with U.S. president Donald Trump’s plans of building a 350-plus ship navy. Trump announced the goal of a 350-ship navy during a speech in September when he said his plan was based on a 2014 Pentagon quadrennial review of projected
US Navy’s aerial refueling Hawkeye completes first flight
The U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye equipped with aerial refueling (AR) recently completed its first flight. The aircraft is built by Northrop Grumman under a 2013 engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) contract award. Northrop Grumman designed, developed, manufactured, and tested severa
UK formally names fourth nuclear submarine Audacious
The United Kingdom has formally named the Royal Navy’s fourth Astute-class submarine during a ceremony at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness. The nuclear submarine was named Audacious. Marking a milestone in the vessel’s journey towards joining the Royal Navy’s fleet, Lady Elizabeth Jones
US Coast Guard receives sixth national security cutter Munro
The U.S. Coast Guard received USCGC Munro, the service’s sixth national security cutter, from Huntington Ingalls Industries on December 16. According to HII, Munro is scheduled to sail away in February and will be commissioned in Seattle on April 1, 2017. Munro is the sixth Legend-class National Sec
USS Wasp amphibious ready group concludes ISIS strikes in Sirte
U.S. Navy’s Wasp amphibious ready group (ARG) wrapped up its engagement against ISIS in Sirte, Libya and departed the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations on December 16. The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) requested U.S. air strike support to better enable their aligned forces to liberate S
US Navy awards HII $50M for LPD-class support services
The U.S. Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $51 million contract modification for the first year of life-cycle engineering and support services on the U.S. Navy’s San Antonio (LPD 17) class of amphibious transport docks. Services provided in the contract include post-delivery planning
Video: US Navy tests unmanned swarming boats
The U.S. Office of Naval Research has recently tested autonomous unmanned swarming boats during a demonstration in the lower Chesapeake Bay. According to the service, the results have revealed ‘dramatic new possibilities’ for autonomy in future naval missions. Using a combination of software, radar
Bataan ARG completes amphibious drill
U.S. Navy’s Bataan amphibious readiness group (ARG) completed its ARG/marine expeditionary unit exercise (ARG/MEUEX) on December 19. During exercises like these, ship crews and defense forces personnel get the opportunity to improve cohesiveness and strategies developed during previous underway peri
Spanish OPV returns from West African deployment
Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel ESPS Serviola returned to her home port in Ferrol, Spain, after taking part in different cooperation activities in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. The cooperative security activities with regional navies are organized by the Spanish Ministry of Defense and t