Vessels
USS New Orleans arrives in Sri Lanka
The USS New Orleans (LPD 18) with embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka for a port visit, July 24. The ship and embarked MEU are in Sri Lanka to increase bilateral ties with the Sri Lankan navy and exchange best practices on humanitarian assistance/disaster reli
Old US Navy frigates to be reactivated for delivery to Taiwan Navy
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded VSE Corporation a contract worth up to $74 million to reactivate two former U.S. frigates prior to their delivery to the Taiwan Navy. Under this contract, VSE will manage the industrial work, logistics and crew training for two Oliver Hazard Perry-class
US Coast Guard cutter becomes Philippine Navy frigate
The Philippine Navy has received a third U.S. Coast Guard cutter and christened it as the BRP Andres Bonifacio Philippine Navy frigate before a ceremonial crew swap on July 21. The Coast Guard Base Alameda authorized the transfer of the decommissioned Coast Guard cutter to the Philippine Navy as par
Australian Navy submarine returns from record deployment
Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Rankin completed a record deployment as she returned to HMAS Stirling base after being deployed for nine months. Commander Submarine Force Captain Matt Buckley described the event as “the longest single deployment for a Collins Class Submarine”. During her deploy
Indian, Chilean, US Navy ships take part in VBSS drill
Sailors aboard the U.S Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86) participated in a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) training exercise with sailors from the Chilean Navy Frigate CNS Almirante Cochrane (FF 05) and the Indian Navy Shivalik-class stealth frigate INS S
Singapore Armed Forces kick off CARAT with US Navy, Marines
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines, together with Republic of Singapore Armed Forces kicked off the 22nd annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise at the Changi Naval Base, Singapore, on July 18. CARAT Singapore 2016 will consist of nearly two weeks of shore-based and at-sea training
New Zealand awards contract for construction of new fleet tanker
New Zealand has awarded a NZD$493 million contract to the South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries for the construction of an ice-going tanker for the Royal New Zealand Navy. According to the defense minister Gerry Brownlee, the new ship will be ice-strengthened and winterised for operation
US Navy chief to visit Chinese counterpart in wake of South China Sea ruling
U.S. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson is scheduled to visit his PLA Navy counterpart Adm. Wu Shengli for the first time during his tenure, in the wake of the international South China Sea court case ruling. Richardson will be visiting Beijing and Qingdao from July 17 to 20 “to im
Timelapse: Watch as ships get underway from Pearl Harbor for RIMPAC 2016
The U.S. Navy has shared a time lapse video of ships getting underway from Pearl Harbor earlier this week for the sea phase of the international Rim of the Pacific exercise 2016. From submarines through destroyers to large aircraft carriers, Naval Station Pearl Harbor tug operators show how it’s don
Singapore hosts third rotational US Navy P-8A deployment
The U.S. 7th Fleet will rotationally deploy two P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Singapore from July 15 through August 12 in support of shared maritime security initiatives, the U.S. Navy said. The aircraft are assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 that is forward deployed to Japan and partici
RIMPAC 2016: Tabletop exercise gathers US, Chinese submarine rescuers
Some 50 submarine officers and civilian contractors from seven countries worked together in a Rim of the Pacific 2016 submarine rescue tabletop exercise held at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, July 12. The tabletop exercise preceded a practical submarine rescue exercise conducted by the U.S. and Chi
US Navy minehunter arrives in Japan ahead of mine countermeasure drill
The U.S. Navy’s Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Patriot (MCM 7) arrived in Hakodate, Japan, July 14 for a port visit before the crew makes its way to the annual Mine Countermeasures Exercise (MCMEX) 2JA. The Patriot crew will share the Hakodate port visit with their Japan Maritime Self-D
US approves sale of SM-2 Block IIIB Standard missiles to South Korea
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of SM-2 Block IIIB Standard missiles, containers and support to the Republic of Korea. Estimated cost of the equipment South Korea might acquire is $65 million with Raytheon as the principal contractor. The Defense Security Coop
USS Ashland concludes CARAT, returns to Japan
The U.S. Navy’s Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) arrived in Sasebo, Japan on July 8 after completing several phases of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) series. The Ashland crew embarked and supported Marines from 2nd Marine Battalion, 2nd Regiment duri