Vessels
USS Mason, FS Charles de Gaulle commanders meet in the Med
U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) commanders and French officials from the Charles de Gaulle Strike Group (CDGSG) met while operating together in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Nov. 25, 2016. Having replaced the guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71), Mason is deployed to s
UK naval shipbuilding needs to be quicker, independent report finds
An independent report into UK’s naval shipbuilding has concluded that the small Royal Navy fleet is a result of too long procurement cycles, late orders for new ships and the policy of retaining old ships in the fleet beyond their sell date. Sir John Parker’s Independent Report into naval shipbuildi
EU extends counter-piracy mission off the Horn of Africa
The European Council extended operation Atalanta’s mandate to deter, disrupt and repress acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia until 31 December 2018. Operation Atalanta’s two-year mandate extension comes amidst concerns within European Union member states that whilst pirate attacks on merchant sh
US Navy’s small-deck ship UAS Tern a step closer to first flight
The U.S. Navy’s unmanned aircraft Tern, under development by DARPA and the Office of Naval Research, has made another step towards its goal of performing an initial flight test by 2018. In mid-October, the Tern team completed a critical design review (CDR) of the air vehicle’s General Electric engin
Indra joins forces with UPM to develop sensors for Spanish future F110 frigate
Spanish company Indra has partnered with the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) to jointly develop and integrate the sensors for Spanish Navy’s future F110 frigate. The partnership agreement has been reached within the industrial plan for the PROTEC F110 program, through which Indra will boost c
Japan, US mine warfare specialists work together during 3JA drill
Sailors aboard the U.S. Navy’s Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Chief (MCM 14) and members of mine countermeasures squadron (MCMRON) 7 staff joined Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) MCM units for combined operations in the final phases of the bilateral mine countermeasures exercis
Turkish-led exercise Mavi Balina 2016 concludes in the Med
Ships from several nations concluded their participation in the Turkish-led exercise Mavi Balina in the Mediterranean Sea. Participating nations included Pakistan, Romania, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. NATO Maritime Group 2, as well as observers from Algeria, Nigeria, and Georg
Video: Royal Navy patrol boat rescues kayaker
The crew of a Royal Navy patrol boat rescued a 61-year-old kayaker on Sunday after his upturned kayak was spotted in the Solent following a mayday call. A student aboard HMS Smiter spied a black object in the water off Lee-on-the-Solent as the boat and RNLI responded to an SOS: a kayaker had capsize
Northrop Grumman delivers first shipset for Block IV Virginia-class submarines
U.S. defense company Northrop Grumman has delivered the first shipset of lightweight wide aperture array (LWWAA) hardware for Block IV of the Virginia-class submarines to the U.S. Navy. This represents the 19th shipset that the company has supplied for the Virginia submarine program. According to No
Chilean Navy frigates undergo obsolescence refit ahead of air warfare systems revamp
Chilean Navy frigates Almirante Cochrane, Almirante Condell and Almirante Lynch are set to undergo an obsolescence upgrade that will be undertaken by Cohort subsidiary Sea. The programme is being carried out in preparation for a major revamp of the Chilean Navy ships’ air warfare systems. The Britis
Mexican Navy commissions two new ships during navy day celebrations
The Mexican Navy commissioned the offshore patrol vessel ARM Chiapas and logistic support support ship ARM Isla Maria Madre during a ceremony on November 23. The two new vessels were commissioned in the presence of Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto and the secretary of the Mexican Navy, Admiral V
German tanker Rhön returns from NATO deployment
German Navy’s replenishment oiler Rhön is set to return to its homeport in Wilhelmshaven after completing a two-month deployment to NATO’s standing maritime group 1 (SNMG1). Rhön is scheduled to enter harbor on November 30 after spending 57 days at sea and sailing 9,000 nautical miles. The ship depa
Norway to acquire five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft
The Norwegian ministry of defense announced that it plans to replace its ageing fleet of nine maritime reconnaissance aircraft with five Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). Under a project that is expected to cost 9,825 million Norwegian Krone (approx. EUR 1,1 billion) including the
Lithuanian Navy receives patrol ship bought from Denmark
Lithuanian Armed Forces have officially received the P15 patrol ship, a former Danish Navy Flyvefisken-class vessel, bought earlier from Denmark. P15 was transferred to the Lithuanian Navy at a ceremony in Korsør port in Denmark on November 23. The new ship is replacing 50 years old Storm-class LNS