Vessels
Former US Navy frigate sunk by missile fire
U.S. ships and aircraft used live fire munition to sink a decommissioned U.S. Navy guided missile frigate in waters 30,000 feet deep and 117 nautical miles northeast of Guam on September 13. The boat sank in five hours after sustaining 22 missile hits, finally succumbing to hellfire missiles shots b
US Navy to launch USNS Yuma EPF
The U.S. Navy is scheduled to launch its newest expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Yuma during a ceremony this weekend at Austal’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard. According to Wilhelmsen Ships Service, the roll out and launching of the EPF 8 will cause partial blockage of the Mobile River on or abou
Royal Navy parachuters train over Gibraltar
Royal Navy’s Submarine Parachute Assistance Group (SPAG) has successfully completed a week long exercise in the skies and waters above and around Gibraltar earlier this summer. The Navy said that eleven members of the team conducted over 20 parachute jumps from the back of an RAF Hercules transport
Royal Navy destroyer joins Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond joined the European operation Sophia by replacing HMS Enterprise, another Royal Navy ship which was part of the mission for several months. Royal Marines and Royal Navy sailors from HMS Diamond conducted their final boarding exercise with HMS Enterprise pri
First real test for Australian MH-60R helicopter
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Perth and its embarked MH-60R helicopter took part in a search and rescue off the coast of Seychelles for the first time on August 14. Two survivors were located by Perth’s MH-60R helicopter, call sign ‘Hellcat’, and were recovered by a civilian yacht. According to
US Navy destroyer makes port call in French principal navy base
U.S Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) pulled into Toulon, France for a scheduled port visit September 13. While in port, Ross plans on conducting a community relations project and hosting a tour of the ship. Toulon will be Ross’ fifth port visit since getting unde
Cohort plc subsidiary joins British Sonar 2050 Technology Refresh program for Type 23 frigates
Ultra Electronics has awarded Cohort plc’s subsidiary SEA a £2 ($2.6) million contract to supply transducers for the Royal Navy’s Sonar 2050 Technology Refresh program (S2050TR) to upgrade Type 23 frigates. Back in December 2014, the Royal Navy awarded a £27m contract to Ultra Electronics’ Sonar Sys
US Navy, Marines test integration potential of F-35s and Aegis system
The U.S. Marine’s F-35 Lightning II and the Navy’s Aegis air and missile defense weapon system worked together for the first time during a live fire exercise. According to Lockheed Martin, the company involved in the production of both systems, the event successfully demonstrated the integration of
USS Mount Whitney to undergo dry docking and overhaul in Croatia
US Navy’s 6th Fleet flagship USS Mount Whitney will undergo a six-month dry docking and overhaul in the Croatian Viktor Lenac Shipyard, the company announced on September 13. Under the terms of the contract, USS Mount Whitney will undergo the 3rd stage of its scheduled life-cycle maintenance to exte
Video: USS John F. Kennedy carrier continues taking shape with new superlift
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier builder Huntington Ingalls Industries shared a video of its Newport News Shipbuilding division placing a 900-ton superlift into dry dock, continuing construction of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). The company said Kennedy’s cost and construct
Australian Navy formally receives final MH-60R helicopter
Royal Australian Navy chief Vice Admiral Tim Barrett accepted the last of Navy’s 24 MH-60R maritime combat helicopters during a ceremony at Lockheed-Martin’s Logistics and Maintenance Facility at Nowra’s Aviation Technology Park on September 12. The Commonwealth of Australia chose the Romeo in June
Australian-hosted exercise Kakadu begins in Darwin
The 13th iteration of the Australian-hosted multinational maritime exercise Kakadu 2016 began with an opening ceremony on September 12 in Darwin, Australia. Exercise Kakadu is the Royal Australian Navy’s premier exercise and provides an opportunity for regional nations to participate in multinationa
Sea combat commanders embark Bonhomme Richard for exercise Valiant Shield
A contingent of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 staff embarked aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) on September 11, to serve as the sea combat commander (SCC) for the expeditionary strike group during the upcoming joint exercise Valiant Shield. This will be the second time DESR
Korean Navy assists in medical evacuation of US Navy destroyer sailor
The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) helped U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) conduct an emergency medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) of a sailor in need of medical attention on September 11. At approximately 11 a.m., Decatur notified Commander, Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 15 that a sail