After seven months away from home, 1,000 loved ones finally got to see them in the flesh as Britain’s biggest warship, HMS Ocean, returned to Plymouth. The ship – which has hit the news around the world this week thanks to a spoof Mariah Carey video (endorsed by the diva herself) – arrived back unde
For the first time in the 110-year history of the Royal Navy’s Submarine Service women are to serve at sea. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond today announced that female sailors will go to sea with the Silent Service by the end of 2013 – with the first volunteers beginning their training next year. A
Farewell ceremony of another Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Tributs, tanker Pechenga, and seagoing tug MB-37 will be held on Dec 10. The unit will head for the Gulf of Aden to protect commercial shipping from pirate attacks. That will be the seventh PF task unit fo
French shipbuilding corporation DCNS has started development of technical documentation to adapt Mistral-class assault landing ships for Russian conditions, reported the shipyard’s press service on Dec 7. “We’re working on conditioning of the ship’s deck for Russia’s specifications. In particular, t
First of three frigates built for Indian Navy has successfully passed the last trials before delivery, reported RIA Novosti on Dec 7 referring to Sergei Mikhailov, press secretary of JSC Yantar Shipyard (Kaliningrad, Russia). “Project 11356 frigate INS Teg has almost completed closing stage of trial
Baltic Fleet (BF) frigate Yaroslav Mudry and replenishment tanker Lena on Dec 7 left BF main naval base Baltiysk heading for the North Sea. The long-range cruise of BF task unit under command of Capt 1 rank Alexander Ivanovsky will be held in accordance with the Russian Navy Combat Training Plan. Th
The UK now has three groundbreaking Type 45 destroyers ready to deploy on operations after HMS Diamond passed her final, demanding test. The state-of-the-art warship has come through six weeks of training and assessment off Plymouth, the final hurdle to jump before she can sail on front line duties.
Vietnam tied a contract with Rosoboronexport for delivery of an additional 2-ship batch of Project Gepard 3.9 frigates, reports Interfax referring to Sergei Rudenko, deputy director for foreign economic affairs of JSC Zelenodolsk Shipyard. According to him, in contrast to the first two Vietnamese fr
Passing the cruisers USS Monterey (left) and USS Normandy this is the world’s most advanced submarine entering the world’s biggest naval base. HMS Astute made her debut at Norfolk Naval Station – roughly 11 times larger than HM Naval Base Portsmouth and home to more than 70 warships – on the latest
In Djibouti on 6 December the Change of Command ceremony of Commander Task Force 465 was held on board the EU NAVFOR German frigate FGS BAYERN. Rear Admiral Thomas Jugel handed over the responsibility to Captain Jorge Manso, Spanish Navy, in a ceremony attended by military and civilian guests, inclu
Formal visit of French frigate Commandant Birot at Russian port of Novorossiysk has been finished. The host ship was Russian seagoing minesweeper Vice Admiral Zakharyin. During the 5-day visit, the ship’s commanding staff held meetings with the city authorities and the naval base command. Crewmen of
Aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov left Northern Fleet (NF) main base Severomorsk and headed for the Barents Sea. Departure of the aircraft carrier kicks off shaping of NF carrier group consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko and auxiliary vessels – rescue tu
In 2012 Russia starts construction of advanced Project Borei-A nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), reported RIA Novosti referring to Director General of Sevmash shipyard and Rubin design bureau Andrei Diachkov. At present, Sevmash builds three Project 955 Borei submarines designed b
JSC Beriev Aviation Scientific Center (Taganrog, Russia) on Dec 2 handed over repaired long-range ASW aircraft Tu-142ME to Indian naval aviation; the airplane departed for its air base on Dec 5, reports the center’s press service. The airplane (registration No 312) has passed all appropriate post-re
