The U.S. Navy intercepted on March 28 a dhow carrying a large amount of weapons which the United States estimate to have originated in Iran and was likely bound for Iran. The Coastal Patrol ship USS Sirocco, operating as part of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, intercepted and seized the shipment
Photos: Italian Navy A team of Italian Navy parachuters from the San Marco Marine Brigade teamed up with the submarine component to carry out their first 2016 batch of joint training activities in the Ionian Sea. Training activities initially conducted alongside the quay were followed by the operati
U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55) completed an inbound, high-speed boat training drill, March 28. Stout is underway conducting Composite Training Unit Exercise with the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, the final test the strike group will undergo in preparation for deployment.
Photos: Sánchez Oller/Spanish Navy Danish Iver Huitfeldt class frigate Peter Willemoes has recently joined NATO’s Standing Maritime Group One. The ship met the group at sea and was welcomed by the Commander of SNMG1, Spanish Navy Rear Admiral José E. Delgado. After the visit was completed, crews of
Russian naval shipyard Yantar informed that mooring tests of the third Project 11356 frigate ‘Admiral Makarov’ began March 31 in the Baltic Sea. The company said that a team of 130 workers were involved in the ship’s preparations for sea trials which are expected to start in June this year. Admiral
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke and four Typhoon jets will deploy to the Baltic later this month to support NATO security efforts in the eastern Europe. HMS Iron Duke is due to return to the Baltic region after participating in the bi-annual, multinational Exercise Joint Warrior off the c
Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton, assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) entered the Black Sea on March 30 to train with Turkish, Bulgarian and Romanian Navy vessels. During the month of April, HMCS Fredericton will conduct operations in concert with Romanian
The U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK) navies engaged in a mine countermeasures exercise, held March 28 – April 1, as part of exercise Foal Eagle 2016. During the exercise, U.S. and ROK Sailors, including explosive ordnance disposal divers, worked together to practice clearing shipping routes and
The Philippine armed forces are hosting this year’s Balikatan which is set to run from April 4 – 16 in the province of Antique, Philippines. Balikatan is an annual multi-layered exercise between the Philippines and the U.S. Pacific Command which spans humanitarian and civic assistance events, and jo
The company that is set to equip the U.S. Navy’s next aircraft carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), with an arresting gear system on April 1 said its system completed the first aircraft arrestment. According to General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system c
The Philippine Department of Defense has signed a contract with Finmeccanica to deliver two AgustaWestland AW159 helicopters to the Philippines Navy. Finmecanica’s UK division of is scheduled to deliver the helicopters in 2018 from the Yeovil plant in the United Kingdom. Valued at over €100m, the or
The U.S. Navy has awarded Austal and Lockheed Martin $564 million contracts each for the construction of further littoral combat ships (LCS). Under the contract, Lockheed will be building ship number 25 while Austal is to deliver LCS 26 as the prime contractor. Lockheed Martin builds the Freedom-var
Britain is intending to form a joint venture company between the British defence contractor Babcock International and the Oman Drydock Company that would develop the Omani Duqm Port to support naval vessels. During a visit to Oman, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the multi-million pound undert
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics a $644.3 million contract modification for the planning and construction of Harvey C. Barnum (DDG 124) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. This modification fully funds this ship, which was awarded as part of a multi-year competition for DDG 51 class destroyers
