Vessels
ITS Carabiniere, FS Floreal train in waters off Seychelles
Operation Atalanta flagship ITS Carabiniere conducted a joint exercise with the French frigate FS Floreal in the waters off Seychelles’ main harbour on February 5, 2016. The exercise was coordinated by the ships’ commanding officers, Commander François Xavier Waroux and Commander Francesco Saladino.
HMAS Melbourne concludes Middle Eastern Deployment
Having seized almost a tonne of heroin and made more than 50 boarding operations, Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Melbourne is now returning home to Australia. The guided missile frigate handed over maritime security responsibilities to sister ship, HMAS Darwin, after five months of operations in
New Fleet Commander for Royal Navy
As the Royal Navy’s previous Fleet Commander has moved up the ladder to become the First Sea Lord, the Navy has welcomed his successor at a handover ceremony in Portsmouth, UK. Vice Admiral Ben Key CBE is taking up the role from outgoing Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Sir Philip Jones KCB who is to be
USS Bataan hosts junior marine officers during WARFEX
A War Familiarization Exercise (WARFEX) had the U.S. Navy’s multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan host 250 Marine junior officers from The Basic School (TBS), February 5-7. The role of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship in hosting TBS and purpose of the exercise was to familiarize the
USS Higgins concludes independent deployment
The U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) is scheduled to return to its Naval Base San Diego homeport on February 11. The ship is on its way back from a 225-day independent deployment to the Arabian Gulf, Western Pacific, and Indian Oceans. While deployed to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fl
Fincantieri starts work on Italian logistic support ship
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced February 9 that it has started construction works on the Italian Navy’s logistic support ship which will be built under the Navy’s fleet renewal plan. The steel cutting ceremony of the ships stern section was held yesterday at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Riva
USS Rushmore undergoes maintenance
U.S. Navy’s Southwest Regional Maintenance Center has awarded BAE Systems a $52,125,928 contract for modification work on USS Rushmore. This contract is an action modification to a previously awarded contract for fiscal 2016 phased maintenance availability which includes the planning and execution o
Image of the day: Farewell PASSEX at IFR 2016
The Visakhapatnam International Fleet Review 2016, concluded February 9 with Indian and foreign Naval ships undertaking a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Bay of Bengal. As maritime traditions mandate, visiting foreign ships are generally escorted to the open seas on their way home upon their comple
GD contracted for further Ohio-replacement work
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics’ Electric Boat division a $23.6 million contract modification to continue development of the U.S. Navy’s Ohio Replacement submarine. Under the terms of the modification, Electric Boat will perform air conditioning unit detail design, prototype unit manufact
HNLMS De Zeven Provinces starts Caribbean patrol
The Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provincien (The Seven Provinces) left her homeport Willemstad, the Netherlands, for the Caribbean Sea. The first ship of the De Zeven Provincien class will be used as a station ship in the Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea. A Belgian Navy Alouette III h
Royal Navy Sea Kings support Charles de Gaulle in the Gulf
Helicopters from the Royal Navy Auxiliary Fort Victoria have been providing direct front-line support to daily strikes from the French carrier Charles De Gaulle against Daesh in the Middle East. The distinctive Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control Mk7 helicopters are scouring Gulf skies and se
US Navy Boxer ARG ready to deploy
More than 4,500 sailors and marines from the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are scheduled to depart U.S. Navy Base San Diego for a deployment to the U.S. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations, February 12. Before being certified to deploy, the indivi
UK approves another batch of funding for Successor submarine
The UK Ministry of Defence has announced an additional £201 million of funding to support further design work for the Royal Navy’s next generation of nuclear submarines. The funding is within the £3.3 billion Assessment Phase of the Successor programme and will enable BAE Systems to develop the desi
Elbit Systems launches new unmanned surface vessel
Israel-based defense and homeland security company, Elbit Systems, has introduced a new unmanned vessel platform. The Seagull is a 12-meter modular, multi-mission Unmanned Surface Vessel(USV) system with replaceable mission modules and two vessels capable of being operated and controlled in concert